How to stop getting spam emails
We’ve all been there — opening our inbox to find it flooded with messages we never asked for. From shady promotions to outright scams, spam emails are not just annoying; they can also pose serious security risks. But here’s the good news: you don’t have to live with it. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know — from understanding why you’re suddenly drowning in spam, to recognizing dangerous phishing attempts, and finally, to implementing proven strategies that actually stop spam for good. Whether you’re a casual email user or someone dealing with a relentless flood of junk, this article will give you practical, actionable solutions.
Why am I getting so much spam?
It can feel like a losing battle, but you are not alone. The constant flood of unwanted emails is a widespread problem. Your email address can end up in spammers’ hands through several common channels:
Email harvesting (scraping): spammers use automated tools to scan the Internet for email addresses written in plain text on forums, social media, websites, and public profiles
Data breaches: when a company’s database is hacked, your email and other personal information can be exposed and sold on the dark web. Major breaches at companies like Adobe, LinkedIn, and Yahoo! have provided spammers with millions of active email accounts
Subscription lists & opt-ins: you might unknowingly agree to receive promotional emails when you sign up for a service. Some companies also sell your email address to third parties
Buying and trading lists: spammers often buy lists of email addresses from other spammers or unscrupulous companies
Dictionary harvest attacks: attackers use tools to guess common email addresses (like admin@domain.com or info@domain.com)
Malware: if your computer or device is infected with malware, it can harvest your email contacts and send spam without your knowledge
How did spammers get my email address?
Spammers have a vast arsenal of methods for obtaining email addresses, ranging from simple automated techniques to sophisticated attacks. Understanding how they operate is your first step toward protecting your inbox.
Data breaches
One of the most common sources is data breaches. When a website or company you’ve subscribed to is compromised, user databases containing email addresses — and sometimes passwords — are stolen and sold on the dark web. These lists are repeatedly bought and sold among spammers. Major breaches at companies like LinkedIn, Adobe, and others have exposed millions of active email addresses this way.
Email harvesting (scraping)
Spammers use automated bots to scour the Internet for email addresses. These web crawlers scan websites, forums, blog comments, social media profiles, and even PDF files, looking for the “@” symbol to collect anything that looks like an email address.
Dictionary attacks
In this technique, spammers use software to guess valid email addresses. They combine common names, dictionary words, and popular number sequences with well-known domain names (e.g., john.doe@gmail.com, info@company.com). This method is especially effective against large organizations with predictable email formats and can result in a sudden surge of spam targeting common addresses.
Purchased and traded lists
Spammers often buy and sell email lists amongst themselves. These lists can be obtained through data breaches, stolen from other sites, or built through other harvesting methods. Some less reputable companies also sell the email addresses of their users to third parties.
Social media and public exposure
Any public source of information is a target. If you’ve ever posted your email address in your bio, a comment, or a public resume, it can be harvested. Business platforms like LinkedIn are particularly attractive to attackers who scrape profiles to build corporate email lists.
Social engineering and fake websites
Scammers create fake websites, contests, and giveaways to trick people into voluntarily providing their email addresses. Once you enter your information, it’s added to a database for future spam campaigns. Similarly, a malicious actor might impersonate a colleague or support staff to ask you to confirm your email address.
Malware
If your device is infected with malware, it can harvest contacts and email addresses stored on your computer, sending them back to the attacker without your knowledge.
Are spam emails dangerous?
Simply opening a spam email is generally low-risk on most modern email clients. However, spam emails can be extremely dangerous, as they have become one of the most common vectors for cyberattacks. The danger comes from what you do after you open the email.
Phishing attacks: these deceptive emails are designed to trick you into revealing sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers, or account details by impersonating a trusted source
Malware infections: clicking a link or downloading an attachment from a spam email can install harmful software like ransomware, keyloggers, or trojans on your device
Identity theft and financial fraud: by interacting with a phishing scam, you risk giving a cybercriminal the information they need to steal your identity or access your bank accounts
Modern spam is frequently a delivery mechanism for serious cyber threats. Cybercriminals are increasingly using social engineering to craft realistic-looking messages that are difficult to distinguish from legitimate ones.
How to recognize a spam email
Learning to spot a spam email is your first line of defense. Here are common red flags to watch for:
Unfamiliar or suspicious sender: the email address contains misspellings or comes from a free service like Gmail when it claims to be from a major corporation
Generic greetings: the email uses impersonal salutations like “Dear customer” or “Dear user” instead of your actual name
Typos and poor grammar: while this is a common sign, remember that AI is making it easier for scammers to write grammatically correct emails
Sense of urgency or threats: the email attempts to rush you into action by claiming your email account will be suspended or you owe a payment
Requests for sensitive information: legitimate organizations will never ask you for your password, social security number, or banking details over email
Suspicious links or attachments: hover your mouse over a link to see the true URL. Be wary of links that have slight misspellings or don’t match the company’s official domain. Do not open unexpected attachments, especially .exe, .zip, or .docm files
Too-good-to-be-true offers: emails promising unrealistically high rewards, inheritances, or prizes are almost always scams
If you receive a suspicious email, do not click on any links or attachments. Report it as spam and block the sender. If you accidentally click something, disconnect from the Internet immediately and run a security scan on your device.
How to stop spam emails: 10 ways
Dealing with relentless spam can feel like a losing battle, especially since modern spam is often generated by bots that constantly change addresses to bypass simple blocks. However, there are proven ways to fight back. Here are 10 strategies that actually work.
1. Train your email filters
When you receive a spam email, mark it as junk or report it as spam instead of simply deleting it. This teaches your email provider’s artificial intelligence to recognize and block similar messages in the future. In Gmail, use the Report spam button; in Outlook, right-click and select Mark as junk.
2. Block senders and domains, not just individual addresses
Blocking a specific email address is often ineffective because spammers constantly create new ones. Instead, block entire domains that you consistently see in spam emails (e.g., @spamdomain.com). This is a more reliable way to stop repeated spam from the same source. In most email clients, you can add domains to a blocked senders list in your settings.
3. Create smart inbox rules
Custom rules can automatically delete or move emails based on specific conditions. Here are three powerful examples that can stop spam from ever reaching your inbox:
Delete messages with
Delete messages from risky domains — add common spam domains like .site, .cam, .rest, .work, .xyz, .shop, .click, and .live to a rule
Delete messages from random “info.” senders — many spam emails use addresses starting with info
To create a rule in Outlook, go to settings → mail → rules, add a new rule, set a condition (e.g., “Sender address includes” or “Body includes”), choose the action delete, and save
4. Clear out old rules and blocked senders
Having hundreds or thousands of accumulated rules and blocked senders can actually make your email client slow and less effective at filtering spam. If you’ve been fighting spam for years, consider clearing out this clutter. After removing old rules, you can replace them with a few, simple, well-crafted rules that target patterns rather than specific senders.
5. Adjust your junk email filter level
Most email services allow you to adjust the sensitivity of their spam filter. Setting the filter to High or Exclusive (or a similar option) will catch more spam. Be aware that this may also increase the chance of legitimate emails being sent to your junk folder, so you’ll need to check it occasionally.
6. Report spam wisely
While reporting spam is helpful, avoid reporting spam that is already in your junk folder — this can add clutter and may not be as effective. Focus on reporting spam that actually reaches your inbox. In Gmail, you can also use the report spam & unsubscribe option to both train the filter and remove yourself from a mailing list.
7. Unsubscribe from legitimate newsletters
If you’re receiving emails from a company you no longer wish to hear from, use the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of the email. This is a legitimate way to reduce clutter from marketing emails. However, never click Unsubscribe on suspicious or obviously spammy emails — this confirms your address is active to spammers and can lead to even more spam.
8. Use a secondary email address for sign-ups
Create a separate email address specifically for online registrations, newsletters, and less important services. This keeps your primary email clean and reduces the chances of it being harvested by spammers.
9. Be cautious with exposing your email
Avoid posting your main email address publicly on forums, social media, or websites. Spammers use automated tools to “scrape” the Internet for addresses. If you must post it, consider using a different format (e.g., “name [at] domain [dot] com”).
10. Block emails by language or region
In some email clients, like Outlook, you can filter out messages written in specific character sets or originating from certain country-level domains. This can be very effective against foreign-language spam or spam from a particular region.
Important note: delete, don’t report
If you are using a new set of filtering rules, do not report spam that lands in your junk folder. Simply delete it. Reporting it at this stage can interfere with your new rules. Allow the system 24–72 hours to settle in with the new configuration before evaluating its effectiveness.
How to mark an email as spam
Marking an email as spam, rather than just deleting it, is essential for training your email provider’s filters to recognize and block similar unwanted messages in the future. Here’s how to report spam on the most popular email platforms.
If you’ve just set up new custom filtering rules, avoid reporting spam that already lands in your junk folder — this can interfere with your rules. Instead, simply delete it and allow 24–72 hours for your new configuration to settle.
Reporting spam in Gmail
On the web version (Gmail.com):
Select or open the suspicious email
Click the Report spam button in the toolbar above the email list (it looks like a stop sign with an exclamation mark)
For phishing emails, click the three dots next to Reply and select Report phishing
In the Gmail mobile app:
Open the email
Tap the three dots menu (top-right corner)
Select Report spam
Reporting spam in Outlook
On the web version (Outlook.com or Outlook 365):
Select the suspicious email
Click the Junk dropdown in the toolbar
Choose Junk (to move it to the Junk folder) or Block (to block the sender)
For phishing attempts, click the dropdown arrow next to Junk and select Phishing scam.
In the Outlook desktop app:
Right-click on the email
Hover over Junk and select Block Sender or Junk (or Report Junk depending on your version)
In the Outlook mobile app:
Open the email
Tap the three dots menu
Select Move to Junk or Report Junk
Reporting spam in Apple Mail on iPhone
In the Apple Mail app on iPhone or iPad:
Swipe left on the message in your inbox
Tap More
Tap Move to Junk
Alternatively, you can open the email, tap the flag icon, then select Mark followed by Move to Junk.
Reporting spam in Yahoo Mail
On the web version (Yahoo Mail):
Select the suspicious email by checking the box next to it
Click the Spam button in the toolbar above your inbox
In the Yahoo Mail mobile app:
Open the email
Tap the three dots menu
Select Mark as spam
When you mark an email as spam in Yahoo, future emails from that sender will be automatically diverted to the Spam folder.
How to block spam senders
Blocking a sender is one of the fastest ways to stop unwanted emails from cluttering your inbox. When you block someone, future messages from that sender are automatically diverted to your Spam or Junk folder — or in some cases, directly to Trash. Here’s how to do it on the most popular email platforms.
Block a spam sender in Gmail
In the web version (Gmail.com):
Open the message from the sender you want to block
In the top-right corner of the message, click More (the three-dot button)
Select Block [sender name]
Confirm your choice. All future messages from this sender will go directly to your Spam folder
In the Gmail mobile app (Android/iPhone):
Open the message from the sender
In the top-right corner, tap the More button (three dots)
Tap Block [sender name]
Block a spam sender in Outlook
In the Outlook desktop app:
Right-click on the message from the sender you want to block
Select Block → Block Sender
Future messages from this address will be moved to the Junk Email folder
In the web version (Outlook.com or Outlook 365):
At the top of the page, select Settings
Go to Mail → Junk email
Under Blocked senders and domains, select Add blocked sender
Enter the email address or domain you want to block, then select OK and Save
Block a spam sender in Apple Mail
Open the Mail app on your Mac
Select an email message from the sender you want to block
Click the sender’s name at the top of the email
Select Block this Contact from the dropdown menu
Block a spam sender in Yahoo Mail
Open an email from the sender you want to block or select it from your mailbox
Click More (the three-dot button)
Select Block Senders
Optionally, select to also delete emails you’ve received from the sender, then click Ok
The most reliable fix: stop exposing your real address
The most effective way to stop spam is not to filter it once it arrives, but to prevent spammers from getting your email address in the first place. The most reliable fix is to stop using your real email address for anything other than trusted, essential contacts. Instead, use email aliases — unique, disposable addresses that forward messages to your main inbox without revealing it.
How email aliases work
When you sign up for a service or share your contact information with someone you don't fully trust, you provide an alias instead of your real address. All emails sent to that alias are automatically forwarded to your primary inbox, keeping your personal address private.
The key advantage is control: if a specific alias starts receiving spam, you can simply disable or delete it. Since the alias is unique to that service or sender, this instantly stops the spam without affecting your real inbox.
AdGuard Mail: aliases and temporary emails combined
AdGuard Mail offers a comprehensive email protection solution that combines both permanent aliases and temporary email addresses. With over 17 years of experience in online privacy, AdGuard provides apps for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS, as well as a web-based solution.
The service gives you two powerful tools in one ecosystem:
Aliases are forwarding addresses that you create and link to your real email. Use them for ongoing communication with services you trust — emails sent to an alias are forwarded to your main inbox, and you can disable any alias with one click if it starts receiving spam.
Temporary emails are disposable addresses for one-off interactions. They appear right inside the AdGuard Mail app, and you don’t need to link them to your personal inbox — they work as standalone mailboxes for receiving confirmation codes, download links, or promo codes.
The free plan includes:
10 aliases
1 recipient
2,000 forwarded messages per month
1 alias domain and 1 temp mail domain
1 temp mail inbox
Forwarding from temp mail inbox to recipients
The full version offers:
1,000 aliases
50 recipients
Unlimited forwarded messages
Anonymous replies from aliases
Multiple alias and temp mail domains
5 temp mail inboxes
AdGuard Temp Mail: web-based temporary email service
For situations where you need an email address only once — such as signing up for a trial, downloading a resource, or receiving a promo code — AdGuard Temp Mail provides a free disposable email address instantly, through its website, without requiring an account or app installation.
How it works:
A temporary email address is automatically generated for you
Copy the address and use it on any online registration or verification form
Check the temporary inbox for confirmation messages
Key benefits:
Privacy protection: your real email address stays hidden, even if the untrusted service sells your data
Spam avoidance: since the address is disposable, spam never reaches your real inbox
Free, ad-free, and tracker-free: no ads, no trackers, completely free, and your IP address is also hidden from senders
Important notes:
Temporary email addresses can only receive emails, not send them
They don’t accept attachments
Inboxes are automatically deleted after 7 days of inactivity or immediately when you generate a new address
Deleted messages cannot be recovered
Other popular alias services
Several reputable services offer email alias protection, each with its own strengths:
Apple Hide My Email is integrated into iCloud+ and generates random addresses via settings or Sign in with Apple. Addresses use the @privaterelay.appleid.com domain and work seamlessly across iOS, macOS, and the web
Firefox Relay offers a browser extension for Firefox and Chrome. The free plan includes five aliases, while the premium version provides unlimited aliases and custom domains
SimpleLogin, now part of Proton, is an open-source solution with a generous free plan. It allows you to reply to forwarded emails while keeping your real address completely hidden
Critical principle: treat aliases as disposable
The core principle is to create a unique alias for each service or context. If you use the same alias everywhere, you lose the protective benefit. A single unique alias per service ensures you can trace the source of spam back to a specific entity and eliminate it cleanly.
FAQ
Why am I suddenly getting so much spam?
A sudden spike in spam usually means your email address was recently exposed. This commonly happens through a data breach at a company you use, or because you signed up for a service that sold your address to third parties. Sometimes, spammers also use automated tools to guess common email addresses or scrape them from public websites and forums.
Is it safe to click Unsubscribe on spam emails?
It depends. Unsubscribing from legitimate newsletters is safe and effective. However, clicking Unsubscribe on suspicious or obviously spammy emails confirms to spammers that your address is active and monitored by a real person. This often leads to even more spam, as your address gets added to other spammers’ lists. In these cases, mark the email as spam instead.
Should I reply to spam to tell them to stop?
Never reply to spam emails. Replying confirms your email address is active, which invites more spam. Additionally, many spam emails are sent from automated systems or malicious actors — replying will not stop them and may expose you to further risks, including phishing attempts.
Can spammers tell if I open their email?
Many modern spam emails contain hidden tracking pixels (small images) that load when you open the message. This can notify the sender that you’ve opened the email and even reveal your location and device information. Most email clients now block images by default for this reason — keep this setting enabled to protect your privacy.
What’s the difference between spam and phishing?
Spam is unsolicited and unwanted email, often commercial in nature — it’s annoying but not necessarily malicious. Phishing, on the other hand, is a cybercrime. Phishing emails are designed to trick you into revealing sensitive information like passwords, credit card numbers, or account details by impersonating a trusted source. While spam is a nuisance, phishing is a serious security threat.
Will changing my email address stop spam?
A new email address will give you a clean slate, but it’s not a long-term solution. Your new address may eventually be exposed through data breaches, public posts, or sign-ups. For a more permanent fix, consider using email aliases (see the Most reliable fix section above). If one alias starts receiving spam, you can simply disable or delete it without affecting your primary address.
