How to Stop Spam Emails? 7 Effective Methods

Billions of spam emails are sent every single day. If your inbox is drowning in unwanted ads, fake offers, and phishing attempts — you're in the right place. Here are the 7 most effective ways to protect yourself from spam.

1. Use a Disposable Email Address

The biggest source of spam is giving your real email address to untrusted websites. Some of them share it with third parties; others just start spamming you directly.

Solution: Only give your real email to services you trust and plan to use long-term. For trial sign-ups, discount codes, free e-books — use a disposable email service like BokMail.

2. Don't Post Your Email Address Publicly

Avoid writing your email address openly on social media profiles, forums, or websites. Spam bots automatically harvest these addresses. If you must share it, disguise it visually: user [at] domain [dot] com.

3. Enable Your Email Client's Spam Filter

Gmail, Outlook, and Apple Mail all offer powerful spam filters. To keep them working well:

• Report incoming spam using the "Mark as Spam" button
• Check your spam folder regularly and mark legitimate emails as "Not Spam"
• Create custom filtering rules

4. Use the Unsubscribe Option

For unwanted newsletters from legitimate companies, click the "Unsubscribe" link at the bottom of the email. But be careful: never click unsubscribe links in spam from unknown senders — doing so confirms your address is active and can invite even more spam.

5. Use Two Separate Email Addresses

A practical approach: maintain two different email addresses.

1. Primary address: For banking, government services, and important work
2. Secondary address: For shopping sites, forum sign-ups, and free trials

This way your primary inbox stays clean.

6. Use a Third-Party Spam Filter App

If your email client's built-in filter isn't enough, third-party tools are available. Apps like SpamSieve (Mac) and MailWasher offer advanced filtering capabilities.

7. Check for Data Breaches

If your email address was leaked in a data breach, spam volume can spike suddenly. Visit haveibeenpwned.com to check for free whether your email has appeared in any known breaches. If it has, change the password on the affected service immediately.