Companies must give you a way to stop getting emails you didn’t ask for by providing an “unsubscribe” button or link. However, there’s a catch. Scammers use similar buttons or links, but these are dangerous because they can have malware that steals your personal information. Let’s find out how to tell the difference and if you should even use the “unsubscribe” option.
How to spot a scam email
Most email services, like Gmail or Outlook, have filters that block many scam emails, so you don’t often see them. However, some spam emails still get through. These can be tricky ads that barely follow the rules, or real scams trying to steal your information. Here’s how to spot scam emails:
- They might use common email endings like “gmail.com” or the email ending might have typos.
- The company name is unknown and you can’t find it on the internet.
- The email pushes you to click a link right away, which seems pushy and unprofessional.
- There are lots of spelling mistakes and weird fonts in the email.
- There’s often a big “unsubscribe” link or button that looks fake. Sometimes, it might say something different like “participate now!” or “click okay to start.”
Unfortunately, clicking an “unsubscribe” button or link in a scam email just tells the scammer that your account is active. This can lead to more scam emails. Even worse, these links can have malware, including ransomware, which can steal personal information from your computer.
Should you avoid the unsubscribe button?
Here’s a simple rule: If you know and trust the company and understand why they sent the email, it’s usually safe to click “unsubscribe.” This is fine for things like a newsletter you don’t want anymore or too many emails from a store like Warby Parker after you bought something.
If the email is from someone you don’t know, wasn’t asked for, or seems strange, don’t open it. Instead, mark it as spam. This moves it to your junk folder and stops more emails like it from reaching your inbox.
Business Insider also says you can try blocking the sender, but this might not always work since scammers often change their email addresses.
To protect yourself even more, think about having a separate “throwaway” email. Use it only for shopping or newsletters and don’t put any personal information in it. If you start getting too much spam, you can just make a new email account and start over.
If you ever get a scam email, you should report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.