"These operators high-jacked Web sites, 'kidnapped' consumers and held them captive," said Jodie Bernstein, Director of FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. "They exposed surfers, including children, to seamiest sort of material and incapacitated their computers so they couldn't escape. They copied as many as 25 million Web pages from sites as diverse as Harvard Law Review and Japanese Friendship Garden. When consumers used search engines to find subjects as innocent as 'kids on net,' 'news about Kosovo,' or 'wedding services,' they risked being exposed to a torrent of tawdry images. This scam is outrageous and we want it off Internet. We're confident court will help us arrange that."

The Federal Trade Commission is a powerful regulatory agency and they will accept complaints from consumers on both SPAM and also a Web Page or Web Sites that are using deceptive or terroristic tactics.

You may forward unsolicited commercial e-mail (spam) to Commission, by sending it directly to them at: mailto:UCE@FTC.GOV

I would suggest you not bother them with ordinary run of mill SPAM but rather limit your complaints to email like one I described above that literally takes control of your computer.

You may also file a complaint with Commission online by visiting their web site at: http://www.ftc.gov/

Scroll to bottom of their web site where you will see link to "File A Complaint Online".

On a more immediate basis, it is important to know at least a few of handy Windows "Shortcut" commands that will allow you to regain control of your computer without need to shut it down all together.

For a more extensive list of Window's Shortcuts delivered to you FREE via Auto-Responder, send a blank email to: mailto:shortcuts@emailexchange.org

Perhaps one of best commands to know by heart is: ALT + F4 = Quitting open program

That command comes in very handy when you have a window open that takes up your entire screen area and does not show customary Minimize/Restore/Close boxes that are found in upper right hand corner of all Window's programs.

Another good one to keep in mind is: ALT + SPACE = Display of System Menu that allows you to Restore-Move-Resize-Minimize-Maximize or Close a window.

And as a last resort, if nothing else seems to be working, you can always try: CTRL + ESC = Opens Start Menu from which you can properly shut down your computer.

Until powers that be take direct action to stop SPAM at every possible opportunity, we will all have to put up with nuisance of deleting junk email from our inbox. But at least we do not have to tolerate invasion of our computer with code meant to make us a hos

I then put all of addresses in a file on a web page with an invisible link to it - let's call it "Trash Page". If you visit my site, you will never see it. But, a spammer using harvesting software will hit that page. They will harvest each and every address that I loaded onto that page.

Thinking they hit a bonanza, all those unduplicated addresses will be captured by them. Now, two things will happen. First, all forged addresses on list that they send to, will be returned to them as undeliverable, causing them extra work to clean their lists.

Second, all spam received from a legitimate address, will be on lists of all spamsters, and they will get their "just deserts".

Eventually, pros will figure out what I have done, and will block web page that houses them. But that is not my goal. I started putting those invisible links to that "Trash Page", on a number of my web pages. Now, they can't just block a particular page, but will have to block my entire domain. Great - now I won't have all addresses on my site being harvested by these miscreants.

If this idea snowballs, and I hope it does, a major percentage of all email addresses being sold by "email list providers" will be worthless. You might think about this if you are ever tempted to purchase their "thousands of email addresses" for $49.95.

The spam problem is not going to go away in foreseeable future. If webmasters took steps I have taken, it just might go away sooner. Anyone who sends me an unsolicited email, advertising their "latest and greatest, will wind up on this list.

If you want to participate in this project, send an email to mailto:scambusters@adv-marketing.com - please include URL for your web site. (I want to make sure you are legitimate, and not a spamster on a "fishing expedition")

Note - to participate, you must be able to upload web pages to your site.