Most of us use email correspondence every day. This means of communication is accessible for everyone and we rely on it in many situations. But there is a different side of it, which is called spam. It is very important to know how to stop spam in your email inbox, otherwise it can give you many problems, as the spam can be dangerous as well as safe. 

Safe spam includes advertisements and fake messages. Usually they only carry informational load for the user, which he can take into account – or leave it as it is. Dangerous spam includes phishing and malware software distribution. Using phishing, spammers obtain the user’s personal data – often it is about bank details or credit card details. 

For example, scam emails offer users a lucrative business where they can make a lot of money. However, to do this, you must go to a specific site and enter personal information and details. Virus-containing emails launch executable code when you open or follow the specified links. In this case, a virus program, worm or Trojan is downloaded to the user’s computer.

Unfortunately, it’s impossible to stop spam totally, but there are some tips that will help you to reduce its amount:

1. Train your spam filter. Try not just deleting unwanted emails from your Inbox, but always informing your service provider that they are spam. For example, in Gmail, this can be done in just a couple of clicks by highlighting the email and clicking on the “Spam” icon. Similar functionality is commonly found in other email clients. Also, look from time to time in your junk folder for messages that aren’t really junk and report bugs (Gmail has a Not Spam button for that). This way you can better “train” the spam filter in your mail.

2. Never reply to spam. If you see that the letter is clearly unwanted, do not open it. If you open the email and realize that it is spam, close it immediately. Do not under any circumstances click on links or buttons, do not download attachments from messages from suspicious senders – they may contain malware that steals your personal data and puts your computer at risk. Be careful, such letters can be disguised as important ones, for example, notifications from large banks or online stores.

3. Unsubscribe from unnecessary mailings. You may not realize each time when you sign up for various newsletters. Though they are not very harmful, a lot of mailings will distract you and make your inbox cluttered. Sometimes, scammers create scam emails looking very similar to usual newsletters. It is recommended that you unsubscribe from newsletters you no longer need and make your inbox clean and decluttered.

4. Do not share your email address online. Special bots can quickly copy thousands of email addresses from sites where the addresses are public information. Sometimes people copy addresses from websites and use them to register on various resources that offer something for free (players, ringtones, TVs, etc.) Different ways to display an email address make it difficult for bots to scan and copy. For example, it’s better to replace @ sign by [at]. Or you can post a picture with your email address or use JavaScript to create a dynamic email address.

5. Create several mailboxes, one for personal letters, another one for letters from friends, and a third for registering on sites. As a result your main mailbox will not get overloaded with unneeded messages and it won’t take you forever to find important messages. It is also recommended that you send less emails and reduce your email management stress. Instead, you can send voice messages, make a call or use a chat messenger to discuss the details of your issue faster.