Spam is everywhere, but that’s no excuse to let incidents go by without saying something. Whether it’s bulk messages from companies that you never consented to receive or a message from a stranger whose identity isn’t traceable, or even if it’s an email that compromises personal information about other people, all these are spam mails. If you think some of your friends might fall victim to such scams, warn them before it’s too late. At the same time, you can take some steps to reduce their frequency or numbers, although you cannot stop them altogether. Here are some helpful techniques.
Throwaway email account
When signing up for accounts to use different applications, you may not want to share your email address. In that case, it’s a good idea to use a temporary account or, more precisely, throwaway mail accounts. These accounts will not reveal your actual email address.
Spam detection filters
The email has become a contentious topic in recent years, with so many different clients and servers available for use, says Tommy Shek. However, you can use a few techniques to cut down on spam if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the massive amount that you receive every day. In Gmail, for example, there is a ‘Spam’ section that holds all the messages which your account thinks are spam. If a message gets misjudged, you can mark it as not spam. Besides this, you should also study your email client’s manual to find out how to best train its spam filters to detect spam more accurately in the future.
Engagement with spam mail
Any time you receive an unsolicited email message that seems shady, don’t fall for it. You may believe that it is an opportunity to get rid of them, but doing so could allow spammers to take advantage of your private information for financial gain and share your details with other companies, leading to more spammy messages. Remember, you should not click on any links or purchase anything mentioned within the message; even if it gives you an option to unsubscribe, stay away from taking any action.
Blocking spam mails
Implementing this step can be somewhat effective, depending on the spammer. Some spammers will create new email addresses each time they send a message, which means you’re most likely to receive notifications even after blocking them continually. If you still get messages from the same address consistently, it might be a good idea to block that specific communication channel entirely.
Your email address is a unique and timely piece of information. Like you wouldn’t want strangers knowing your home address, you shouldn’t feel the need to share it online with just anyone. By keeping it private, you won’t be at risk of people sending you spam or possibly being susceptible to phishing scams, so try to keep it off your social media profiles and other similar sites with unknown visitors. You can have many essential details in your account, which, if compromised, can lead to financial and personal hassles. Hence, be careful with it advises Tommy Shek.
