4 October 2007
UK households are leaving their PCs and mobile phones open to spam attacks by not putting measures in place to protect them from unwanted emails and text messages, new research claims.
According to a study carried out by uSwitch, Britons receive around 947 nuisance emails every second, equating to nearly 82 million spam emails in their inboxes every day.
Nine out of ten Britons now access their personal email from their home PC, however the same number now receive spam, compared with just over eight in ten households in 2006.
Furthermore, 6.6 million people deal with unsolicited email incorrectly, the research found, leaving themselves exposed to 'spam gangs' operating outside of the EU and consequently out of range of European law.
Steve Weller, Head of Communications Services at uSwitch said: "Spam has become the great bug-bear of the internet age. Unfortunately, as we've become more dependent on our internet connections, so spam has spiralled to epidemic proportions.
"What's more, the problem is no longer isolated to computer users. Our research shows 16.6 million mobile customers are now troubled by spam text messages too."
"Consumers should shop around for broadband providers that offer a free spam filter. When you consider the potential loss of all your information on your PC - your photos, music, or special emails - then this is a simple step, but a vital measure," he added.
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