Getting spammed with strange emails you never signed up for can be annoying and concerning. While it may seem impossible to avoid, there are steps you can take to significantly reduce the amount of junk emails clogging up your inbox.
Understand where spam comes from
To stop junk emails, it helps to first understand where they come from. Here are some common sources of spam:
- Data breaches – Your email address and other personal info can be leaked or sold when websites or companies experience data breaches.
- Email harvesting – Spammers use automated tools to scour the web and public databases to harvest email addresses.
- Malware or viruses – Malicious software can install itself on your devices and steal contacts and info.
- Social media – Crawling public social media profiles can give spammers access to your email.
- Phishing scams – Spam emails themselves can dupe you into accidentally revealing your email address.
- Purchased email lists – There is an underground market for email lists that spammers buy.
Carefully unsubscribe from emails
When you get an email from a sender you don’t recognize, don’t just delete it. Look for an unsubscribe link and carefully opt out. This tells the sender to remove you from their list.
However, be cautious before clicking unsubscribe links. Sometimes these lead to phishing sites intended to steal your information. Hover over the link to see if the URL destination looks suspicious.
Use email aliases
Give out specialized email aliases rather than your primary email when filling out forms, signing up for accounts, etc. For example, on a shoe website, you could enter: [email protected].
This way, if that alias starts getting spammed, you can set up a rule to automatically delete or archive any emails sent to it, without affecting your regular inbox.
Avoid exposing your email publicly
Be careful about posting your real email on social media, public directories, forums, and anywhere else it could be easily harvested. Use privacy settings to limit how visible your email is.
Use a secure email provider
Secure email services like ProtonMail offer enhanced protection against spam and phishing attempts. They often include:
- Encrypted email content and storage
- Strict privacy policies against selling user data
- Extra authentication steps to access email
- Tools to easily unsubscribe, label, filter, or report junk
Enable two-factor authentication
Adding an extra authentication step like requiring a texted code to log into your email can prevent spammers from breaking into your account, even if they have your password.
Use antivirus and anti-malware tools
Cybersecurity software can detect malware, phishing attempts, suspicious links, infected attachments, and other signals that trigger warnings about spam or identify sources to block.
Avoid clicking spam links
Be cautious before clicking on any links or attachments in suspicious emails, which could lead to malware infecting your device. Even just opening the email can notify spammers that your address is active.
Use email filters
Set up filters and rules in your email client to automatically delete or redirect emails from specified senders and containing certain phrases commonly found in spam.
Spam Trigger Words/Phrases
- Deal
- Limited time
- Buy now
- Don’t miss out
- Special offer
- Act now
Report spam
If a sender keeps spamming you after asking them to stop, report the messages as spam or phishing. This helps email providers strengthen their filters.
Avoid posting your email publicly
Posting your email address openly online can lead to spammers and scrapers adding it to lists. Avoid including it on public social media, your website contact page, forums, directories, etc.
Use disposable temporary email addresses
When compelled to provide your email but want to avoid spam, use a temporary disposable address from a site like TempMail. This creates a fictional inbox that forwards messages to your real account while protecting your identity.
Update your passwords frequently
If your accounts have weak, old, or reused passwords, it’s easier for spammers to break in and steal your contacts. Create strong, unique passwords for each account and enable two-factor authentication.
Clear cookies and cache
Spammers can use tracking cookies or browser cache data to gather your email address and other info. Clear them regularly to remove any potential threats.
Avoid public WiFi
Public WiFi makes it easier for hackers to infiltrate your connection and steal personal data like your email address. Use a VPN app to encrypt your information.
Check if you’ve been part of a data breach
Your email could have been compromised in a past data breach. Visit sites like Have I Been Pwned to check if your email appears in stolen account databases.
Conclusion
While you can never completely eliminate junk emails, taking proactive steps to safeguard your address and improve email hygiene will significantly reduce the spam reaching your inbox. With a combination of preventative measures, extra vigilance, and improved security habits, you can enjoy a spam-free email experience.