How to Check Email Security Settings

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Internet security has a pretty high priority in our technology filled world. The safety of your private information and the safety of your computer should always be a primary concern. Browser-based email providers, such as Yahoo!, AOL and Hotmail, have spam and junk mail filters to keep your privacy and computer safe. By viewing the spam or junk mail settings and filters your email provider has in place, you can find out your level of security and make adjustments as needed.

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Step 1

Open your Web browser and go to the webpage of your email provider.

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Step 2

Log into your email account.

Step 3

Find "Settings" or "Options" on the main screen of your email page. Typically, this is located on the right-hand side towards the top. Some email services have it located on the left.

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Step 4

Select "Spam" or "Junk" mail settings from the Settings or Options menu.

Step 5

View the filter settings if they are available from your email provider. The filters are usually designated low, medium and high. Low means that the spam security is low, so you may get a lot of spam in your inbox while high security ensures that you will get virtually no spam but may also filter out legitimate email. If you set the filter to high, check the spam folder often for mail that was incorrectly routed there.

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Step 6

View the content filters. This is where you choose to block mail containing attachments and embedded pictures. Here you can set the filter to send mail containing certain words and phrases to the spam folder.

Step 7

Check your sender lists. Most email providers allow you to customize lists of safe and unsafe senders. Unsafe senders are any email addresses you have gotten spam from before; you can add them to this list so you no longer receive messages from them. Any email from these senders will be blocked and sent to your spam folder.

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