Although spam is commonplace in our mailboxes, it is no less annoying. Here are some tips to get rid of them.
Everyone gets spam. These unwanted emails for advertising purposes or even more pernicious ones are sent massively using huge databases, in which your email address is located.
In 2024, this scourge is so widespread that this spam takes up the majority of our inboxes. Fortunately, there are various tips that allow you to get rid of it quite effectively.
Block the contact and report it
Before tackling the problem from its source, you must first try to limit the damage. While modern email services are good at filtering spam, they are not infallible. The fact remains that everyone can manually act on their unwanted emails.
The first method is expeditious, since it involves blocking the sender of the email to no longer receive their communications. On Gmail, open the email concerned, then look in the menu symbolized by the three small dots for the line “ block sender “. On Microsoft Outlook and many other email systems, the operation is the same. The action is not definitive, however, since you can unblock these addresses from the filters in your inbox.
Better, if you also want to act for the good of the community, messaging services give you the possibility of reporting messages from the same menu. This way, you train the algorithms to become more efficient when sorting messages.
A button often well hidden, but obligatory
Somenewslettersand commercial communications are so insistent that they can be considered spam. Especially when they are not requested. Fortunately, French law and European regulations require the presence of a link allowing you to unsubscribe in a few clicks from the email received.
But this is often hidden in the 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 a search box, then type “unsubscribe” Or “unsubscribe“. You will automatically be 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, because it does not comply with current regulations. The state’s PHAROS platform allows anyone to report this type of behavior.
Seek help from third-party services
The problem of spam and too many emails is so widespread that services have emerged 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 inspect your inbox from top to bottom for unwanted messages. Knowing that they are generally free, you can be sure that they are somehow exploiting the data they collect about you to generate profits. Their use is not recommended.
Use an alternative email address
If your email address is receiving spam and phishing attempts, it’s probably in a leaked database. Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to get rid of it unless you change your email address regularly. 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 alternative identities, with a name, nationality, age and email different from yours. Emails sent to the alternative address are then automatically redirected to your primary email. Enough to add an additional layer of security when registering for a service for which you have moderate confidence.
If you notice that many spam messages are coming from your fake identity, you can stop them being redirected to your real email address. To do this, Alternative ID allows you to create a completely new identity, with a new contact address, in order to start from scratch.
Take advantage of Alternative ID at no extra cost
Surfshark’s Alternative ID feature is not an expensive option. On the contrary, it is included for free in all Surfshark VPN subscriptions. Which makes its solution even more complete and effective.
During its test, the editorial staff of Frandroid – who gave it a score of 7/10 – underlined “its very competitive price positioning“. Priced from 2.29 euros per month for a two-year subscription (+ 2 months free), the Surfshark VPN offers excellent services considering its affordable price.
The service has no less than 3,200 servers spread across 100 countries, that is to say as many locations from which you can connect to bypass geoblocks. Its application, available on Android, iOS, PC and macOS, allows you to secure your connection with just one click, even when connecting to insecure public Wi-Fi networks. In short, it is an essential tool for connecting and browsing the internet with peace of mind.