Although spam is common in our mailboxes, it is no less annoying. Here are some tips to get rid of them.
Everyone gets spam. For advertising purposes these unwanted emails or even more harmful emails are sent using a huge database, in which your email address is located.
In 2024, this scourge is so widespread that spam occupies most of our inboxes. Fortunately, there are various tips that allow you to get rid of them quite effectively.
Block and report a contact
Before tackling the problem at its source, you should first try to limit the damage. While modern email services are good at filtering spam, they are not infallible. The fact is that everyone can manually act on their unwanted emails.
The first method is faster, as it involves blocking the email sender from receiving their communications. On Gmail, open the relevant email, then look in the menu symbolized by three small dots for the line “ Block the sender ” On Microsoft Outlook and many other email systems, the operation is similar. However, the action is not exact, because you can unblock these addresses from the filters in your inbox.
Even better, if you also want to act for the good of the community, messaging services give you the possibility to report messages from the same menu. This way, you train the algorithms to be more efficient when sorting messages.
A button is often well hidden, but mandatory
SomeNewslettersAnd commercial communications are so solicitous that they can be considered spam. Especially when they are not requested. Fortunately, French law and European regulations require the presence of a link that allows you to unsubscribe in a few clicks from the emails you receive.
But this is often hidden in very small lines at the end of each email. Here’s a tip: Press Control (or cmd on macOS) and F on your keyboard at the same time to open the search box, then type “.Unsubscribe“or”Unsubscribe” You will be automatically taken to this link, which will appear highlighted.
If this link is missing, you can be almost certain that the email received contains a phishing attempt or a virus, as it does not comply with current regulations. The state’s PHAROS platform allows anyone to report such behavior.
Take help of third-party services
The problem of spam and too many emails is so widespread that services have sprung up specifically to address it. In just a few clicks, they allow you to delete all spam emails and unsubscribe from all commercial canvassing.
However, to benefit from this, you must allow these services to scan your inbox from top to bottom for unwanted messages. Knowing that they are usually free, you can be sure that they are somehow exploiting the data they collect about you to generate profit. Their use is not recommended.
Use an alternate email address
If your email address is receiving spam and phishing attempts, it’s probably in a leaked database. Unfortunately, unless you change your email address regularly, there’s not much you can do to get rid of it. And it’s not as difficult as you think.
In fact, that’s exactly what SurfShark’s alternative ID service offers. Thanks to the VPN Provider extension available on Chrome, Edge and Mozilla Firefox, you can create an alternate identity with a different name, nationality, age and email than yours. Emails sent to the alternate address are then automatically redirected to your primary email. Enough to add an extra layer of security when registering a service for which you have moderate confidence.
If you notice that many unwanted messages are coming from your fake identity, you can prevent them from redirecting to your real email address. To do this, Alternative ID allows you to create a completely new identity, with a new contact address, to start from scratch.
Take advantage of an alternative ID at no extra cost
Surfshark’s optional ID feature is not an expensive option. In contrast, it is included for free in all Surfshark VPN subscriptions. Which makes its solution more complete and effective.
During its testing, Friendroid’s editorial staff – who gave it a score of 7/10 – underlined “Its very competitive price position” Priced at 2.29 euros per month for a two-year subscription (+ 2 months free), Surfshark VPN offers excellent services considering its affordable price.
The service has no less than 3,200 servers spread across 100 countries, meaning as many locations as you can connect to bypass geoblocks. Its app, available on Android, iOS, PC and macOS, allows you to secure your connection with just one click, even when connecting to unsecured public Wi-Fi networks. In short, it is an essential tool to connect and browse the internet with peace of mind.
