06 Oct Overwhelmed by Spam? Here’s What to Do

Spam in any form is a nuisance. Whether junk mail bundles filling your mailbox or receiving unwanted emails from senders you don’t recognize, spam is frustrating. Even more aggravating is the sheer volume of junk and our inability to stop it.

Because of how interconnected our devices are when accessing websites and apps, we don’t realize we’re opening ourselves up to a deluge of spam. It might start slow, then swell into dozens, sometimes hundreds of junk emails or random calls. There are a handful of options to stem the tide of spam emails, such as automatic inbox filters. However, even with said filters, you might still receive numerous unwanted messages.

Junk and Spam

These days, random, automated spam messages can hit you from anywhere. In the earliest days of the internet, spam went directly to your inbox or junk folder. But now, you can receive spam calls and even spam texts from unknown senders. Worse, it’s never clear where the spam comes from or how your contact information fell into the hands of junk dealers – at least not immediately.

For example, your email can be mined, collected, and even compromised whenever you register for a service or via website login. Even if you use this email for legitimate reasons, said email can – on purpose or not – fall into the swamp of automated systems sending out junk email. If you also used contact information for login (or other services), that info can find its way into spam lists. These days, if you get spam, chances are it’s not directly from a person. Rather, it’s part of an automated service that launches spam to the contacts on its lists.

That’s why, out of nowhere, you might find your inbox flooded with junk offers or even see random SMS texts from contacts you do not recognize. With the use of bots and automated operations, junk and spam have worsened over the years.

Stopping Spam, Junk Mail, and Unwanted Contacts

While the tools to thwart spam and halt unwanted messages have improved, workarounds still exist to bypass standard filters. For instance, even if you report spam email or block the sender, your email still exists in spam lists. In other words, it mutes the problem, rather than dealing with the source.

Additionally, even with blocks, spam filters, and spam reporting, junk email can still find its way into your inbox. You might ask why or how it happens.

One typical occurrence is being signed up for mailing lists. When you register for an account on a website, you give that web domain permission to contact you via email. But that web domain may also use that email to sign you up for additional contacts and “offers” unrelated to the initial sign-up. It’s a very common tactic when a user wants to access content but “requires” an account.

Another example: you need an answer for a question or require advice. You search said advice and find a potential answer on a website – but to access said answer, you need to register for an account. If you decide to register, it’s possible the website domain will also sign your account up with additional mailing lists. Thus, a downpour of spam begins.

Thus, here’s the first bit of advice: be wary and cautious of what email you use to register with on-website services.

Even reputable websites can forward your email to a mailing list. They do this because it’s a common tactic to maintain engagement with the user. This isn’t a bad thing by itself, and some do prefer receiving routine updates related to their content of choice. However, it’s this same tactic that can ignite the waves of junk or spam you receive.

Other Tips for Spam Reduction

There are other tips to utilize for reducing the amount of spam and junk messages you receive.

First, you can unsubscribe from mailing lists or unwanted senders. Conveniently (for them), this option is normally located at the bottom of a spam email. However, they’re required to provide the option to unsubscribe from their specific mailing list.

Stopping Spam Texts

While we’ve covered spam and junk email, another form of unwanted messages is spam SMS texts. These are messages following the same principle as junk email: unsolicited offers, updates, or alerts related to various subjects.

Smishing and spam texts are both bothersome and potentially dangerous. If it’s junk, it is possible a malicious third party is attempting to steal valuable information from you. Regardless of the reason, blocking off spam from your phone is also important.

Primarily, blocking spam depends on the phone you have. For simplicity’s sake, we’ll focus on iPhone and Android-based phones.

While unsubscribing from phone lists is harder, you can at least control the messages you receive (or do not want to).

On an iPhone, the recipient simply needs to click on the “info” of the spam number/text. Once there, you’ll be given the option to block the number. This will also stop unwanted spam calls from that number. Unfortunately, just like your email address, phone numbers can find their way into spam lists. How your information is acquired comes from a variety of sources, often ensnared in a web of robocalls. Therefore, the best solution is to block spam calls.

Blocking numbers on an Android device is similar. You need to click the details/information of an unwanted call and select the option to block the number. In some cases, you can report the number as spam. This will automatically ignore the call and mark it as spam, though it doesn’t stop them outright. Instead, it simply “mutes the noise.”

Spam and junk, regardless of where it comes from, is frustrating. When using your email, phone, or other personal details to sign up for websites, always be sure the source is legitimate. Limit the amount of services you sign up for and block emails or spam numbers you don’t recognize.

Conclusion

Without curbing the sources, spam emails and junk messages can build up and overwhelm your inbox. Though it’s challenging to avoid spam completely, it isn’t impossible. Utilize our tips to take control of the messages you receive and their frequency.

For additional information and assistance regarding spam, get help today. Contact Bytagig today for help.