1) Use an e-mail client with superior spam guard filter. 2) Keep separate e-mail accounts for official use and personal use. Try to use a disposable account for giving at websites where you are unsure of the privacy of your e-mail address. 3) Do not display your e-mail address on a public website. If you e-mail address is digen.verma@freemail.com, display it as digenDOTvermaATfreemailDOTcom. This way spambots won't be able to read your e-mail address, but humans won't have any problem discerning your e-mail address. You can also use services like http://tinymailto.com or http://contactify.com to prevent your e-mail address being available publicly. 4) If you use GMail, you can supply creative e-mail address to actually find who compromised your e-mail account. For example if your e-mail address is digen.verma@gmail.com and ICICI bank asks for your e-mail address, you can provide them with an address like digenverma icici@gmail.com. Because of the way gmail treats e-mail addresses, the mail will still reach your e-mail account; and by looking at the e-mail header, you can find out who compromised your e-mail account. 5) Lastly, try to discourage your friends from mass mailing you e-mail forwards. Since your e-mail address is embedded in the body of the mail, even if the mail reaches a spammer after a dozen or so forwards, he can still extract your e-mail address from it. If it is absolutely essential for you to receive them, instruct your friends to add you as a BCC contact.
