your net:// inbox highlights

Compiled by PETER SINCLAIR

Welcome to InBox, where we attempt to answer your internet questions.

Pam Kam, like so many, finds herself caught in a spammer's headlights. "Hi thanks for your offer…" the e-mail starts untruthfully [to get her attention], and goes on to hype something called 'E-Gold', one of those chain-letter scams. "This is not spam," it claims hypocritically, "since we are both members of THE OPT IN RESPONDER LIST." Pam is nothing of the sort, so what can she do?

In short, nothing much – it's a fact of internet life, Pam, it happens to all of us. The wisest course is to delete them, protesting just encourages them. Use your emailer to file spam like this under 'junk mail' [right click on the email concerned to select]. Some emailers have an option which lets you delete future messages from the same source from your ISP's server before they even reach you.

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Things are even worse for Margot Kay who has somehow picked up that chunk of malicious code which a seedy outfit called GoHip plants all over the web to rewrite your registry and take over your browser. I've sent her the fix – if you have the same problem, email me.

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Stephanie Brown is feeling a bit peckish. "Please could you tell me where I can find the website containing the recipes from the show The Naked Chef?"

Most of the recipes from the TV show are being held back for a forthcoming book, but you'll find something to be going on with at jamieoliver.net - bon appetit!

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Are you being driven crazy by winking, flashing banner ads? Maybe Liz Tomlin has found the answer. "Thought you may be interested in 'AdsOFF'. I only downloaded it last night and so have only used it for a few hours of surfing but it seems very effective. You can adjust the levels of blocking for ads plus define any exceptions, and can add specific URLS for cookies." Haven't tried it myself, Liz, but it sounds like a godsend.

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"There is a new virus WOBBLER. It will arrive on e-mail titled CALIFORNIA. It is very powerful, there is no remedy, it will eat all you information on the hard drive. DO NOT OPEN ANY THING WITH THIS TITLE and please pass this message on to all your contacts."

No, don't. It's a hoax. Ian, a newbie, is having a scare thrown into him by person or persons unknown. There are heaps of these going round, Ian – check them out at www.symantec.com/avcenter/hoax.html. Just select the email with the up or down arrow-key, hit 'Delete' and think no more about it.

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