Spam overwhelms Charbel’s email inbox and Cedarfone’s tips don’t work

The issue

Charbel had an internet service and email address with Cedarfone.

He received about 10 spam emails a day from overseas companies.

He reported the issue to Cedarfone and Cedarfone told him how to block spam emails in its webmail service.

The solution worked for a few weeks then more spam started coming to his email address.

He reported it to Cedarfone and it suggested he change his email address.

Charbel didn’t want to do this as he’d used the address for 15 years and didn’t want to change all his passwords and update his personal information. Cedarfone said it couldn’t help him anymore.

The investigation

Charbel complained to us.

We asked Cedarfone what it had done to help Charbel prevent spam from reaching his email address.

It told us it had explained to Charbel how to use its webmail service to block spam and then suggested he change his email address, which Charbel had refused to do.

We asked Cedarfone what other resolutions it might offer Charbel.

Cedarfone said it would release him from contract.

We asked Charbel if he had left his email address anywhere on the internet or in social media.

He said it is on his company website.

The outcome

We suggested Charbel take the email address down and create another address for the business as exposed email addresses on the internet are often targeted by spam.

Charbel found the solution reduced the flow of spam.

Cedarfone credited Charbel’s account $50 for the inconvenience.

*Names of individuals, organisations and companies have been changed.