Why am I receiving unsolicited email?
That is a good question. Here are the most common reasons.
- You accidentally signed up for the company newsletter.
- You have placed your e-mail address on a public forum or website.
- The company that holds your e-mail information has suffered a data breach.
- You previously clicked on a malicious email.
How to filter spam in Gmail
To report an email as spam in Gmail, click the Report Spam button. It looks like an exclamation mark and is located at the top of the page next to the File and Trash buttons. This can be done from the main inbox page or from a specific message. If you want to filter multiple messages at once, open the main Inbox folder, select the messages you want to report and click the Report Spam button.
Don’t give your email address to anyone
One of the most common ways of receiving spam is when you use e-mail to sign up for free offers, or register on websites to download content from the Internet. This allows the websites to store your email address and send you emails at any time. So the next time you see an online sale, you may think twice before entering your e-mail address.
Whatever you do, never reply to spam
While it may be tempting to respond to spam with an angry rant or even request that it be permanently removed from your contacts, it will never work. In fact, it may result in your account receiving more spam, as the sender will know that your account is active.
Use third-party spam filters
Your email service provider may have its own filter, but connecting to a third-party spam filter can provide an extra layer of network security. The email will pass through both spam filters to reach your inbox. So if it gets through one spam filter, it should be caught by the other.
An effective spam filter will protect your device from malware threats, attacks and unwanted content. Look for an anti-spam filter that works with your email provider and meets your needs.