Spam emails are annoying, time-wasting, and potentially dangerous. The average person receives 121 emails per day, and 85% of them are spam. But it doesn't have to be this way.

10 Proven Strategies to Stop Spam

1. Use Temporary Email for Sign-ups

The #1 way to avoid spam is to never give out your real email address. Use temporary email for:

• Newsletter subscriptions
• Free downloads
• Contest entries
• Forum registrations
• One-time purchases

When spam starts, simply abandon the temporary address. Your real inbox stays clean.

2. Never Reply to Spam

Replying to spam confirms your email is active, leading to more spam. Even clicking "unsubscribe" can backfire if it's a fake link.

What to do instead:

• Mark as spam
• Block the sender
• Delete immediately

3. Use Email Filters

Set up filters to automatically sort or delete spam:

• Filter by sender domain
• Filter by keywords ("free", "winner", "urgent")
• Filter by subject patterns
• Whitelist trusted senders

4. Keep Your Email Private

Don't post your email publicly:

• Avoid listing it on websites
• Don't share on social media
• Use contact forms instead
• Obfuscate if necessary (name[at]domain[dot]com)

5. Unsubscribe from Legitimate Lists

Not all unwanted email is spam. Legitimate newsletters you signed up for can be unsubscribed from safely:

• Look for "unsubscribe" at the bottom
• Use services like Unroll.me
• Check your email preferences

6. Use Spam Filters

Enable and train your email provider's spam filter:

• Mark spam consistently
• Don't mark legitimate emails as spam
• Check spam folder occasionally
• Adjust filter sensitivity

7. Create Multiple Email Addresses

Use different emails for different purposes:

• Primary: Banking, work, important accounts
• Secondary: Shopping, subscriptions
• Temporary: One-time sign-ups

8. Be Careful with Email Forwarding

Email forwarding can expose your real address. Use aliases or temporary email instead.

9. Avoid Suspicious Links

Spam often contains malicious links. Never click links from:

• Unknown senders
• Unexpected emails
• Suspicious subject lines
• Poor grammar/spelling

10. Use Email Masking Services

Services like Apple Hide My Email or Firefox Relay create unique email aliases that forward to your real address.

How Spammers Get Your Email

• Data breaches: Hacked websites sell email lists
• Web scraping: Bots harvest emails from websites
• Purchased lists: Companies sell customer data
• Social media: Public profiles expose emails
• Malware: Infected computers leak contact lists

Types of Spam to Watch For

• Phishing: Fake emails pretending to be legitimate companies
• Scams: Nigerian prince, lottery winners, etc.
• Malware: Emails with infected attachments
• Marketing: Unwanted promotional emails
• Chain letters: "Forward to 10 friends" emails

Red Flags of Spam Emails

• Generic greetings ("Dear Customer")
• Urgent action required
• Too good to be true offers
• Poor grammar and spelling
• Suspicious sender addresses
• Unexpected attachments
• Requests for personal information

What to Do If You're Already Getting Spam

1. Don't panic – it happens to everyone
2. Mark all spam consistently
3. Block persistent senders
4. Consider changing your email if it's severe
5. Use temporary email going forward
6. Enable stronger spam filters

Conclusion

Spam is preventable with the right strategies. The most effective approach is using temporary email for any non-essential sign-ups. Combined with good email hygiene and spam filters, you can reduce spam by 90% or more.

Start today by creating a temporary email address for your next sign-up. Your future self will thank you.