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SpamArrest scores:
SpamArrest is one of the most popular anti spam software available today. It is also recommended by a number of high profile internet entrepreneurs. But is it really as good as it claims - that it gets rid of 100% of automated spam?
In this unbiased review we will highlight the pros and cons of SpamArrest, so that you can decide whether this anti spam software ticks all your boxes.
Features
SpamArrest's features consist of standard and upgraded features. The standard features comes with the standard product (makes sense!), while you will have to pay for the upgraded features.
Here are some of the more important features:
- A challenge/response technology that blocks 100% of automated spam
- Both Webmail and POP3 access
- Consolidate up to 5 email addresses into 1 spam free inbox
- Anti Virus and Anti Phishing protection
- Customisable mail delivery rules
- Customisable challenge email
- And the list goes on…
Installation and Setup
As it is not just software you can install on you own computer, installation of SpamArrest can be a little tricky if you are not a techno wiz.
You do need to know how to forward emails to different email accounts, set up POP3 accounts, etc.
The Set Up can also be fairly tedious when you first start to use SpamArrest. You will need to approve email addresses from people you want to receive emails from. Luckily you can use the SpamArrest import function to save yourself some time.
Fortunately you only need to do this "batch setup" once. Once you are up and running you can approve senders as and when you need.
Support
SpamArrest provides free email support, which are normally pretty quick. They also offer paid priority email support and paid telephone support. Although this is a nice touch, the free email support is generally sufficient.
Does SpamArrest Work?
Well, yes. Is it a foolproof system? No.
In a nutshell, SpamArrest works as follows:
You set up your email accounts through SpamArrest.
You also set up approved senders. Emails from these people will go straight to your inbox.
If an unapproved person sends you an email they will receive an auto-reply email asking them to verify themselves. The person will need to click a link on the auto-reply email and will then be taken to a webpage where they will be "challenged" to enter a word hidden in a graphic or sound file. When they have done this, their email goes to your inbox. If they don't, their email goes to your unapproved email folder.
Unapproved emails stay in the unapproved folder for 7 days before it gets deleted.
So as you can see, it is quite a long process for somebody to send you an email if they are not approved. However, one might argue that they really want to send you an email to go through all this trouble. Spammers certainly won't!
It will also cut down on automated spam as it will all go to your unapproved folder.
One problem with this system is when you buy something online from somebody you have not approved beforehand. The purchase information will go to your unapproved folder. Not a big problem, but annoying. So unless you immediately look for the email or scan your unapproved folder every couple of days, a good idea might be to buy stuff through an email address not linked to SpamArrest.
Conclusion
SpamArrest is one of the best selling anti spam software on the market, and with good reason. It does cut down on automated spam and very few manual spammers will go through the trouble of confirming their emails.
Once all the email redirects and forwards are set up, it works just like it says on the package (well, not the actual package as you don't get a physical product).
You can also get the 30 day free trial. This will give you enough time to test drive the system and decide if you like it or not.
SpamArrest does have a few problems. Initial setup can be time consuming and real senders will have to jump through a few hoops if they are not approved.
However, if you can put up with this relatively minor issues, then SpamArrest is definitely an anti spam software you should seriously consider buying.
SpamArrest scores: 7/10
