How to Stop Spam Emails - Blocks and Easy Fixes (2023)

If you have an email account, you've probably received a lot of spam (unsolicited email) in your inbox and you're not happy with it. They could be from someone trying to sell you a product you don't need, or from unknown senders you've never met trying to scam you.

We all know the frustration of spam emails. It creates an endless loop of sorting through your inbox, deleting one, then another, then another, so you can find that email from a colleague or friend you haven't heard from in a while. It can be time consuming and steal your privacy.

You'll be happy to know that there are steps you can take to protect your inbox from an onslaught of spam. It's time to deal with them once and for all, and you have the power to do it. Let's go to what matters.

Dealing with spam emails

Before we teach you how to block emails, it's worth mentioning that no matter what you do, some will end up in your inbox. For that reason, we are using this section to teach you how to deal with spam emails that come your way.

1. Never click a link in a spam email

One of the best ways to deal with spam emails is to minimize all interactions. You shouldn't even open them, but avoid clicking any links within them if you do. Clicking on the links alerts the spammer that the account is active, giving them the impetus to keep flooding you with more.

2. Never reply to spam email

When someone bombards you with tons of spam, you might be tempted to reply and tell them to stop. This is a mistake most people make. Replying to the email can be validation for the sender with malicious intent, which can escalate spam emails. In some cases, you may end up giving up more than your personal information.

3. Use an alternate email address

These days, most email services, including Gmail and Yahoo Mail, come with the option to set up an alternate email address alongside your primary address. With an alternative address, you can interact with websites, platforms or forums that can flood you with spam messages. You can even filter anything addressed to your alternate address into a specific folder for easier management (more on that below).

4. Unsubscribe from mailing lists

A good way to avoid spam is to unsubscribe from marketing emails. That way, your inbox won't fill up too quickly with spam. Once you unsubscribe, marketers will remove you from future email lists. But even if they don't, your messages will no longer reach your inbox.

Most companies include an unsubscribe button at the bottom of the email. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission requires companies to include an opt-out link in their marketing campaigns. However, there are some unscrupulous merchants that will not. If your spam emails don't have an unsubscribe button, you can block them.

5. Don't engage with spam emails

Spam emails aren't just annoying; they can also be dangerous. With the exponential increase in cyber attacks, it is essential to be vigilant when dealing with suspicious emails.

Spam messages can contain malicious attachments and viruses that can damage your device or infiltrate your system with malware in seconds. Most spam emails will try to trick you into doing something harmful, such as revealing personal information or clicking a harmful link. That is why it is better to avoid interacting with suspicious emails.

6. Block spam emails

Blocking emails from specific senders is an effective measure to stop spam. Most email services offer users a way to block senders in just a few steps. For example, here's how to block a sender in Gmail (we'll show you how to do this in other email clients later):

1. OpenGmailand then open one of the sender's messages.
   
2. click onFurtherin the upper right corner.
   
3. click onBlock.
   

7. Use email filters

Interestingly, most email services ignore all dots in the address before the domain name. For example, messages sent to[email protected],[email protected], mi[email protected]it will end up in the same inbox. This means that you can use a dotted version of your email address whenever you want to sign up for a service that could be a source of spam messages. When you want to isolate emails, you can tell your service to move all messages sent to that address to a folder of your choice.

8. Do not publish your email address

If you want to keep your inbox clean and reduce the amount of spam email reaching your account, consider not posting your email address in public spaces. This includes social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter and professional growth spaces like LinkedIn. But what if your job requires you to disclose your contact details, including your email address? In this situation, you may want to create an alternate address to filter the junk.

How to stop spam emails on iPhone

No matter what device you use to access your mailbox, spam emails are a pain in the ass. If you have an iPhone, there is an easy way to prevent unwanted spam messages from reaching your phone. Here are the steps:

1. Open one of the emails received from the address you want to block.
2. tap onFurther.
   
3. tap onblock sender].
   

Alternatively, you can unsubscribe from the sender's email campaign by tapping the "Unsubscribe" button, which is usually at the bottom of the email.

How to stop spam emails on an Android

If you have an Android phone and are tired of spam emails, here's how to fix the problem:

1. Open the email service and open the spam message.
   
2. tap onFurtherin the upper right corner.
   
3. selectblock sender].
   

How to stop spam emails in Outlook

To stop spam emails in Microsoft Outlook:

1. Select the spam email sent from the source you want to block.
2. Right-click on the message and selectFilthno suspense submenu.
   
3. click onblock sender].
   

How to stop text message spam emails

We live in an increasingly digital age, where many people communicate through text messages. And just like with email-based spam, your phone can be inundated with text messages from unknown sources, some of which may even try to steal your data. There are a plethora of companies that send unsolicited messages to everyone on your contact list.

If you receive spam, you can block the sender once the message arrives. Although the required steps are slightly different depending on the type of device you are using. In general, you need to open the message settings section, find the "block" button and enter the phone number you want to block.

How to stop spam emails in Hotmail

Hotmail is one of the most popular email services in the world, but it's not immune to spam. To prevent spam messages from flooding your Hotmail account, you can use the unsubscribe button at the bottom of the email message.

Another way to stop spam emails in Hotmail is to add spam senders to the "Block List". See how to do it:

1. Open your inbox and click on thesettingsgear icon in the upper right corner.
   
2. selectFurther.
3. SobAvoid spam, Click onSafe and blocked senders.
   
4. SobBlocked senders and domains, Click onTo add.
   
5. Enter the email address you want to block.
   
6. click onSaveto complete the process.
   
   

How to Stop Spam in Xfinity Mail

Tired of spam clogging up your Xfinity email account? The best option is to set up spam filters that will automatically send all incoming messages to the spam folder. Here's how to set it up:

1. Open your Xfinity Connect account.
2. Click the gear icon in the upper right corner.
3. click onsettings.
4. selectadvanced settings.
5. selectAutomatically move spam and potentially harmful messages to the Spam folder.

All messages directed to the spam folder are deleted after seven days.

How to stop spam emails in Yahoo Mail

Yahoo Mail comes with a spam filter tool that keeps spam out of your inbox. However, it is possible that some spam may find its way into your inbox. If this happens, you can take steps to train the filter and improve its ability to detect spam. See what to do:

1. open theSpamemail folder.
   
2. click noellipsis (three small dots)in the upper right corner.
   
3. click onFilter messages like this...
   

Alternatively, you can click the "unsubscribe" button at the bottom of the email.

Additional FAQ

Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions about spam emails.

Why am I suddenly getting so many spam emails?

Spammers buy email addresses from special providers in bulk to add to their email lists. If you've noticed a sudden increase in the amount of spam email arriving in your account, there's a high chance that your address is part of a list recently sold to one or more scammers.

This usually happens when you enter your email in a field that appears safe, but is actually a tool used by scammers to harvest email addresses.

How can I report spam emails to the authorities?

You can report spam to the Federal Trade Commission by visiting the following page:www.ftc.gov/queja.

All reports are submitted anonymously, so scammers and law enforcement cannot trace them back to you.

How do I identify spam emails?

Spammers often send emails that create a sense of urgency. This often includes subject lines that seem important.

Good tips for spotting spam include realizing that you have never engaged with the sender before. Another way is to identify emails that are not known product updates from a company. Always check the "From" address - if it doesn't match the company's official contact email address, it's probably a fake email.

Take back control of your inbox

Spam emails are a nuisance and can affect the receipt of critical information such as online banking details. You could end up losing your money or exposing your organization to fraud. If you're tired of seeing your inbox full of spam, it's time to take a stand. Follow some of the steps we've outlined to learn the most effective ways to stop the flow of spam and take back control of your inbox.

Have you tried these tips yet? Did they work for you? Let us know in the comments section.