Getting spam in your inbox is probably one of the most annoying parts of using the internet, but unfortunately, it’s kind of hard to avoid. There are some loopholes and ways around it, though.
Keep reading for a list of tips and tricks on how to block spammy emails from entering your inbox.
1. Don’t give your email out unless it’s absolutely necessary. This means when you go to your favorite store or restaurant and they ask for your email address, kindly decline. Typically these retail giants will sell your email address, along with info on your buying history to companies that will mishandle that data.
2. Get a managed service provider for your office. You and your team have a lot on your plate. Sifting through junk emails shouldn’t be something you’re worried about. Trusting an IT support company like Kotori Technologies to handle the heavy lifting will make your lives a lot easier, and your inbox a lot less crowded.
3. Have a junk email address. If you don’t like telling people no, or appreciate knowing when your favorite store is having a sale, have a designated email address just for those emails. Keep in mind, though, once you give your email out to retailers or publish it on an online profile, your inbox instantly becomes more vulnerable.
4. Get an email filter. We recommend going through your MSP, or IT support company to make this happen. Comprehensive email filters like Barracuda Email Security are only available to professionals, and can really help cut down the clutter.
5. Report spam messages when you see them. It may not seem like it, but when you flag a message for spam, you’re training your email client to recognize similar ones in the future and send them straight to your junk folder.
6. Forward to [email protected]. While this may not offer you any immediate gratification, simply forwarding the email to this address will let the government know that the sender is breaking the law. (You’ll probably still get spam, though.)
7. Tell the FTC. You can file a formal complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, though the agency “cannot resolve individual complaints”. They’ll pass the report along to local, national and foreign authorities to determine if further action is needed.
8. Don’t publish your email online. Whether it be on your employers’ website, or on your Facebook profile, it’s not a good idea to have your email address out in the open.
9. Forward the email to the senders’ ISP. First, identify the IP address. There’s a different method to finding the IP address for each email client – this site may help. With the IP address, you should then be able to figure out which internet service provider (ISP) the message originated from. Alert the ISP, and they’ll most likely incur fees, or be banned from using their services.
I realize this list may seem daunting. It’s best to reach out to your IT support team before tackling email spam on your own, but if you’re unable to, the Kotori team is only a call or a click away.