Most of us have opened an inbox to find dozens of messages we never asked for. Some are harmless advertising, but others are scams that try to steal passwords or money. You can’t stop spam completely, but a few steady habits can cut it down a lot and make the rest less risky.
Why you get spam in the first place
Spammers get addresses from several places: addresses posted publicly on websites, lists collected by automated programs, addresses exposed in data breaches, and lists that get sold or shared after you sign up somewhere. Once an address is on a few lists, it tends to stay there. That is why prevention is easier than cleanup.
10 habits that help
1. Think before you share your real address
Every time you type your email into a form, ask whether the site really needs it. If you only want a download or a one-time code, consider a temporary address, an alias, or a second email account kept only for signups.
2. Keep your address off public pages
Avoid writing your full address in public posts, comments, forums or your website. If you must show one, use a contact form or write it in a way that is harder for automated programs to read, such as “name at example dot com”.
3. Don’t reply to spam
Replying, even to say “stop”, can confirm that your address is active and monitored, which can make you a more valuable target. Delete the message or mark it as spam instead.
4. Use “Report spam” rather than unsubscribe for junk you don’t recognise
Unsubscribe links in newsletters you really did sign up for are fine to use. For messages from senders you have never heard of, clicking unsubscribe can sometimes confirm that your address works. Use your email provider’s spam button instead, which also teaches the filter.
5. Read the checkboxes
Many signup forms include a pre-ticked box agreeing to marketing emails or to share your details with partners. Untick anything you don’t want before you submit.
6. Keep your spam filter switched on and trained
Modern email providers have strong spam filters. Don’t turn them off, and when something slips through, mark it as spam. Each report improves the filter for you and for other users.
7. Don’t open attachments or links you weren’t expecting
If an email claims to be from your bank, a delivery company or a government office and pushes you to act quickly, slow down. Go to the official website by typing the address yourself, or contact the organisation using details you already trust, rather than using links or phone numbers inside the message.
8. Check whether your address has been in a breach
Reputable breach-notification services let you check whether an address appeared in a known data leak. If it did, change the password for that account, and for any other account where you used the same one, and turn on two-factor authentication.
9. Separate your email by purpose
Use one address for important things like banking and work, another for shopping and newsletters, and a throwaway for one-off signups. If one address becomes flooded with junk, the others stay clean.
10. Review old subscriptions now and then
Once every few months, scan your inbox for newsletters you no longer read and unsubscribe from the genuine ones. A smaller list of senders makes real problems easier to spot.
What to do if you clicked something bad
- Don’t enter any more information on the page that opened.
- If you typed a password, change it immediately on the real website, and on any site where you reused it.
- Turn on two-factor authentication for your important accounts.
- Keep an eye on bank and card statements, and contact your bank if you see anything you don’t recognise.
- Report the message as phishing or spam in your email app.
The bottom line
You will never get to zero spam, but being careful about where your address goes, not engaging with junk, and keeping separate addresses for different purposes makes a real difference. Small habits, repeated, keep your inbox usable.