We can say that email is a very important means of communication. We use it both at the user level and also in companies and organizations. It is very useful to contact other people, but it is also necessary to register on platforms, store information or link devices. Now, a problem behind e-mail is Spam . In this article, we are going to talk about what it is, how we can prevent spam from flooding our inbox, and how to block it.
How spam works
Spam is how all the junk mail that arrives in our inbox is known. Basically it is a spam e-mail, usually abusive advertising, but it could also be a real danger to our privacy and security. It affects us all, since to a greater or lesser extent we all receive emails of this type.
We must differentiate between annoying spam , the one that is simply going to fill our mail, and the one that can be dangerous . The latter could have the objective of stealing personal information, sneaking in some type of malware and, ultimately, compromising the proper functioning of our devices.
Spam is usually sent to multiple email addresses . They have a list and send something in bulk. Most spam does not reach the inbox, as there are blocks and filters that we can use. Platforms like Gmail and Outlook work very well in this regard, but even so, a small percentage slip through.
It is important to keep in mind that the amount of spam that we receive may depend on what we do as users and the mistakes we can make. Therefore, it is necessary to take certain precautions to avoid it. This will keep your inbox clean, but it will also improve security and privacy.
What to do to avoid spam
So what can we do to prevent spam from entering our email address? We are going to give a series of essential guidelines that you can put into practice in a simple way. This will prevent these types of emails from entering Gmail, Outlook or any other platform you use.
Do not expose your address
The first thing is that you should not expose your email address. The attackers will create a list of addresses to send spam to. Those accounts are going to be taken from public forums, from comments on websites that anyone can access, from open social networks where we put our e-mail address…
Therefore, you should avoid exposing your e-mail publicly. It can be registered by bots or any user that has access to those places where you have made information public and available.
beware of records
You can also expose your email address when registering on the Internet . In most cases they will ask you for an address to be able to access an online service and create an account. Now, are all these platforms reliable or could your data be in danger? The truth is that we can register on insecure sites and that will favor Spam.
Our advice is that you avoid registering on sites that are not reliable. You can also apply this when entering a public network, since you may have to enter an email address and from there you will start receiving spam emails constantly. Be careful what terms you agree to.
Don’t reply to unknown emails
They may use as a strategy to send an e-mail from a relatively secure account that will not arrive as spam, simply to check if there is a real user behind that account. If you respond, if you confirm that this account is active, they can put you on a spam list and, from that moment, start sending you mass emails.
Therefore, avoid answering emails if you don’t really know who is behind it. Any questions you have, better not answer or open possible attachments. It could be a scam and expose your security.
Install only official apps
You should also only install official apps . If you are going to use the mail on your mobile or computer and enter from your program, make sure you download it from official sources. Avoid downloading it from third party sites as it could be a scam. They could have been created just to deceive.
This should also be applied if you are going to log in from the browser. You must have a program that is reliable, such as Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, but always downloaded from secure sources. Avoid non-guarantee applications.
Use alternate addresses
A very good option to avoid spam in your mail is to directly use alternative addresses . There are many options available. If you are going to register on a dubious platform, where you don’t really know if it can be safe or not, a good idea is to register with another alternative address and thus not expose your main one.
You can even make use of disposable emails. They are e-mail addresses that you create and that have a certain time before they disappear. It can be from just 10 minutes to a few weeks or months. They are interesting for what we discussed about being able to register on sites that may not be reliable. Some options are Temporary Mail or 10 Minute Mail .
How to block spam emails
We have explained what you should do to prevent the entry of junk mail or Spam. But what should you do if it’s already too late and you see your account receiving spam? Luckily, the major email providers have features that you can use to stop receiving these emails.
In the case of Gmail, you have to go to the message in question, click on More (the three dots that appear on the right) and click on Block . What this feature does is block that sender. From that moment you will no longer receive emails from that account. Be careful if you need to receive e-mails in the future, as it will be blocked. All those emails will go directly to the spam folder.
You can also directly unsubscribe . If, for example, you have registered on a website and gave it permission to be sent advertising emails continuously, what you have to do is open one of those emails and, once inside, click on the Unsubscribe option. From Gmail they indicate that it may take a few days for this to take effect, but you should already stop receiving this type of email.
As an alternative option, you can also click on More (the three dots) and click Mark as Spam . It is another way that this type of email starts to arrive in the junk email box and does not flood the main box.
In short, as you can see, Spam is a major problem. However, you can prevent your spam folder from filling up. You can take into account the advice we have given and thus protect your e-mail address. Also, if you already receive emails of this type, you can block them.
