Tired of spam emails flooding your inbox? You’re not alone. Whether it’s fake invoices, weird promotions, or phishing scams, spam emails waste your time — and worse, they can be dangerous.
In this post, you’ll learn 10 simple, effective ways to handle and reduce email spam — so your inbox stays clean, safe, and professional.
1. Unsubscribe the Right Way
Spam isn’t always illegal — sometimes you signed up without realizing it.
Look for a legit “Unsubscribe” link at the bottom of the email (usually small text). If you’re using Gmail, you might see an “Unsubscribe” button next to the sender’s name. Some email services offer a “Block & Unsubscribe” option in one click.
Why it matters:
Unsubscribing tells legit senders to remove you from their list — permanently. Just don’t unsubscribe from obvious spam or shady-looking emails, as this might confirm your address is active (see below).
2. Don’t Click, Don’t Open Suspicious Emails
Got a weird-looking email with an attachment, “urgent” message, or poor grammar? Don’t open it — and never click links inside.
Why you should avoid it:
Clicking can download malware to your phone or computer!
Opening an email, will give the spammer a notification to confirm your email is active
It can lead you to fake login pages (phishing)
Best action: Mark it as spam without opening it. Let your email provider handle the rest.
3. Use the Block Function
If you keep receiving emails from the same sender, block them.
In Gmail: Click the three dots > “Block [sender]”
In Outlook or Webmail: Use the gear/settings icon and add sender to a block list
You can also block entire domains if needed (e.g.,
@spamsite.com)
Why block?
Blocking tells your email service: “Never let this sender contact me again.” It’s quick, powerful, and works behind the scenes.
4. Ask Your Hosting Provider to Improve Spam Filtering
If you’re using a custom email (like you@yourdomain.com), your web hosting provider likely offers spam filtering tools or security settings.
Ask them to:
Enable or adjust SpamAssassin or a similar spam filter
Set up email rules to flag or discard spam
Add domain-level blacklists or filters
TIP: You can request them to add a server-side block for persistent spammers.
5. Mark Messages as Spam (Don’t Just Delete Them)
When you mark an email as spam, your email provider learns from it — and that will help them and other domain providers to adjusts Spam filters.
Good habit: Always click “Report Spam” rather than just deleting spam emails.
Don’t ignore it — or it may keep coming.
Over time, your inbox gets smarter!
6. Use a Secondary Email Address for Signups
Sign up for things like newsletters, free trials, or webinars with a separate email address. Keep your main business email clean.
This is often called a “burner” email — use it for:
Online shopping
Free downloads
Forums or online communities
7. Avoid Posting Your Email Publicly
Spambots crawl websites and social media looking for email addresses. Keep your personal email for important logins and banking private!
Tips to avoid being harvested:
Don’t post your full email in blog comments or forums
Use a contact form instead of displaying your email
If you must show it, write it as:
you [at] yourdomain [dot] com
8. Use Email Filters and Rules
Create automatic filters to move suspected spam to a folder — or delete it.
Examples:
Move emails with certain keywords (like “free money” or “invoice.zip”)
Auto-delete emails from certain domains
Flag attachments from unknown senders
Filters save time and stress.
9. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)
While not directly about spam, 2FA helps protect your email from being hijacked.
If your inbox gets compromised, spammers can:
Send spam from your name
Access other accounts (banking, social media)
Always enable 2FA where possible — especially for Gmail, Outlook, or domain email accounts.
10. Use a Reputable Email Client or App
Some email apps have stronger built-in spam protection than others.
Look for tools that offer:
Automatic spam learning
Real-time link protection
Strong filters with easy customization
Some great options:
Gmail (web or app)
Mailbird, Thunderbird, or Outlook with built-in tools
Final Thoughts
Spam is annoying — but you don’t have to live with it. With the right habits and tools, you can cut your spam by 80% or more, protect your info, and keep your inbox tidy and stress-free.
