How to Send Email to Email Addresses Found on Websites

1. Put your mouse pointer over the email address or other text referring to emailing. Look at what shows up on the bottom line of the browser window.
2. If it is "mailto: . . .", then clicking on it will open a new email using the email program specified under the "Programs" tab of the "Internet Options" part of your "Control Panel" (see #7 below).
3. You may not want to do that. I find it easier to RIGHT CLICK on the link and select Properties. This opens up a small window showing you the actual email address. Then I select the address with my mouse and copy it into an email.
4. Alternatively, if the email address shows up in the browser window, you may be able to copy it directly from the browser window. However, sometimes it's difficult to select only the email address, so it may be preferable to use the method given in step 3.
5. If the bottom line of the browser window shows a URL other than "mailto", it usually means that they don't want to give you their email address, but prefer to have you enter your message into a special web page. You have no alternative but to do so, if you want to send them a message.
6. If NOTHING shows up in the bottom line of the browser window, it usually means that the email address is given in graphic (pictorial) form, not a link, and you have to copy it by hand. This is their way of avoiding having a computer program find their email address and send them SPAM. Many public officials use this method.
7. What if you click on a "mailto" link and end up in the wrong email program? Type control-escape and select the control panel. Start the Internet Options program by double-clicking on it. Select the Programs tab. For Email, enter the name of the email program that you prefer to use.
8. All of this is for PCs. I don't know how Macs work, but it is probably similar.