Please, does anyone know an easy to use (and free, and reliable, and "good") anti-spam software? Everyday in my mailboxes, I receive between 100 and 200 (for now...) advertising mails. I'm supposed to win iPhones, or money from lotteries, or something else (wonder why I'm so poor).

Of course I never reply. Easy to delete everyday but when being away from home for several weeks it's a nightmare when back.

Maybe often deleting all the cookies might be a solution but cookies are so handy. And I don't want to spend two days to configure an always changing database. And I don't want to risk to miss an "important" mail. Ah I was forgetting, of course most of those spams are French spams. I'm sure someone has THE solution.

I have XP and Avast and sometimes I do a Spyware Search and Destroy (Ad-Aware doesn't want to work).

Thanks in advance.

Hi GT

Well being on XP still you are limited, for instance Microsoft Live Mail has a spam filter built in, but doesn't work in XP.

However there is an option for you.

Mozilla Thunderbird e-mail client has a built in junk filter that is kept up to date so should be quite effective, you would need to import your e-mail accounts into it but that shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Check it out:
http://www.mozilla.org/en-GB/thunderbird/features/

Its about all I can think of for XP and Free

Thank you so much Data. I was sure you're THE man. I will try that.

As you noticed, I'm very stingy but I guess I'm not the only one.

Thanks again.

There's also the option of going to web-based email. In addition to the usual providers, like gmail, yahoo, etc., nearly all ISP's have a web-mail page where you can access your email through your web browser, that are complete with spam filters and such. This method of reading email also has the extra benefit of creating an additional buffer between you and those nasty viruses that can infect your computer, since no actual emails "physically" arrive on your computer. And did I mention that it's usually FREE? Check with your email provider, and see if they have a web-based email service. It might be just what you need.

Thanks for answering Dave. I have the same provider for 15 years. Of course with a webmail service. I find the same spams there (usually I check all the boxes with Outlook Express). I found nothing in the settings to enable filters or not. I will search again.

BTW with Gmail, I have created several mailboxes for every character of my Second Life (all checked with Windows Live Mail, very important to separate RL and SL, lol). Believe it or not, (French) spams from real life are starting to invade my SL boxes.

I know, my fault, my lives are so complicated...

Maybe "spam" is not the right word. I'm speaking of advertisings I never read (and immediately delete) because not interested. Thanks again Dave.