Spam Stoppers

Consider using an Internet service provider (ISP) or an email service that includes virus and spam filtering as your first line of defense. An increasing number of ISPs and email services are offering these services to their customers. If you need or want to keep your current ISP who does not offer virus and spam filtering, see our Secure Email Hosting Services page for some that do. In addition to or instead of an online service, you can install software on your computer to catch spam. For an overview of the spam problem, see Stopping Spam, Joshua Goodman, David Heckerman and Robert Rounthwaite, Scientific American, March 28, 2005; and 5 Ways To Lock Up Your E-Mail, Gregg Keizer, Information Week, August 11, 2006.

Comparative Reviews

• The Best Ways to Stop Spam, Neil Rubenking, PC Magazine, April 1, 2008 -- Cloudmark, iHateSpam, SpamExperts, ZoneAlarm Security Suite
• Spam Filter Reviews, Consumer Search, January 2008, a summary of 33 reviews of 37 products -- MailWasher Pro, OnlyMyEmail, Cloudmark Desktop, CA Anti-Spam Plus CA Website Inspector 2008 & POPFile.

Individual Product Links & Reviews

• Cloudmark Desktop, anti-spam/virus/phishing, PC Magazine editor's choice April 2008 (see comparative reviews above)
  • Block spam, phishing attempts in Outlook, Dennis O'Reilly, CNet, March 21, 2008
  • Review: Cloudmark Desktop Spam Blocker, Kai Chandler, Practical PC, March 4, 2008
• iHateSpam, PC Magazine editor's choice April 2008 (see comparative reviews above)
• I Hate Spam and So Do You! Doug Goldring, Gear Diary, March 6, 2008
• OnlyMyEmail Personal -- Personal, kid & business versions
• CA Anti-Spam [formerly Qurb]
• MailFrontier Desktop
• Mailwasher Pro
• Spam-Reader
• Spam Butcher
• SPAMfighter
• Vanquish vqME

• CAUCE
• JunkBusters
• Macintouch
• Spam Abuse
• SpamBayes
• Spam Primer