Using BCC to reduce SPAM!

When we send out an EMail to multiple EMail addresses without hiding them, we're contributing to spam. How? Those EMail addresses are worth the price of gold to spammers. Especially if your EMail is then "forwarded" by one or two, three, four of those well-meaning people to THEIR list of family/friends. Now not only is your list of EMail addresses showing, but so is the list of those who also used the To: button to forward your mail on. This tutorial will show you how to 'hide' the recipient EMail addresses by using the :Bcc (Blind Carbon Copy) feature in Outlook Express.

Open Outlook Express. If you don't see the Bcc: option in the "recipient field", click View on your menu bar and go to All Headers ... now you should see the Bcc: option along with the To: and Cc:

Rather than clicking the To: button, click the Bcc: button to add the addresses for your mass mailing.

A "Select Recipients" window will open. Hold your "control key" (Ctrl) on your keyboard down and click on all the names in your address book that you want to send the email to. If you are sending the email to "everyone" in your address book, click on the first name in your list, hold your "shift key" down then click on the last name in the list to select them all.

Once you've selected the list of recipients, click the Bcc: button in the middle of the window pane and all the names will appear in the window on the right. Click OK.

You'll notice all the people you selected from the list in your Address Book, are now listed in the Bcc: window of your Message Window. Compose your EMail, click Send.

Oh happy days!! You've protected the EMail addresses of your friends/family from spam harvesters.

BONUS TUTORIAL (Using the Reply versus the Reply All button)

When someone sends you an EMail with cc's (carbon copies) or bcc's (blind carbon copies) to a hundred other people, DON'T make the mistake of replying to the person who sent you the EMail by clicking the Reply All button. Not only will the 'sender' get your EMail, but so will every single other person that received the original EMail. Instead, be sure to click the Reply button so that ONLY the sender of the EMail gets your reply.

Thanks for helping to fight SPAM!
Gord