Unwanted emails, or "spam," can be more than just an annoyance. They can lead to scams or identity theft. Here are a few simple steps to cut down on your spam, and reduce your chances of becoming a victim.
- Report spam to your email provider. Most email services today have spam filters to send your junk mail to a separate folder. Use the "Report spam" feature offered by your service provider to help strengthen these filters and reduce the amount of spam that ends up in your inbox.
- Consider using multiple accounts. To protect your primary email address from spam, consider using a separate account for online shopping, newsletter or other services that require you to provide an email address. Share your personal email only with trusted friends and family members.
- Unsubscribe from unwanted newsletters. The CAN-SPAM Act requires email marketers to include a link to unsubscribe in all emails. These unsubscribe requests must be honored within 10 days.
- Remove yourself from commercial email lists. The Email Preference Service from the Direct Marketing Association allows you to request removal from national email lists. Go to www.dmachoice.org to register the email addresses you wish to have removed.
- File a complaint. If you lost money to a scam in a spam email, file a complaint with the attorney general's office.