How to Stop Spam Emails (and Why You Get So Many)
You cannot make spam disappear completely, but you can cut it down a lot. It starts with knowing how your address got onto the lists.
By Siddharth ShankarUpdated October 18, 2026Spam reaches you because your email address is on lists that get traded, scraped from websites or leaked in data breaches. Mark spam as spam so your filter learns, unsubscribe only from senders you recognise, report scams, and use email aliases for new sign-ups. If spam suddenly jumps, check whether your address was in a recent data breach.
Scammers start with details that have already leaked. Is your email one of them?
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If your inbox fills with junk every day, you are not doing anything wrong. Once an email address is shared, sold or leaked, it tends to stay on spam lists for years. The good news is that most of the damage can be contained.
Why you get spam in the first place
Spammers need addresses, and they get them in a few common ways:
- Data breaches. When a site you used is breached, its list of customer emails often ends up shared or sold. This is one of the biggest sources. See what an exposed email address means.
- Public pages. Addresses posted on websites, forums, CVs or business listings get collected by automated tools. See how to check if your email address is public online.
- Sign-ups and data sharing. Newsletters, contests and shopping accounts can share or sell your details if their terms allow it.
- Guessing. Common name patterns, like firstname.lastname, can be guessed and tested.
A sudden spike in spam often follows a breach. Check your address with the free tool on this page to see which known breaches include it.
How to cut spam down
1Mark spam as spam
Do not just delete it. The FTC’s advice is to mark unwanted email as spam or junk. Providers such as Gmail use that signal to filter similar messages for you and for other users.
2Unsubscribe only from senders you know
The FTC recommends unsubscribing from unwanted emails, because fewer emails means fewer chances to click a bad link. Use the unsubscribe link for brands you actually signed up with. For obvious scams, do not click anything in the message at all.
3Report scams and phishing
Forward unwanted emails to your email provider using its report option. If a message is a scam, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov in the US.
4Stop giving out your main address
Use an email alias or masked address for new sign-ups. If an alias starts getting spam, you can switch it off. Our guide to email aliases shows the options.
5Remove your address from public pages
Edit old profiles, forum signatures and business listings that show your email. See how to remove your email address from the internet.
Your best defence is knowing what scammers may already have. Check your email free.
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Is it safe to click unsubscribe?
It depends on the sender. Legitimate companies must honour unsubscribe requests, so for a shop or newsletter you recognise, the link is the right tool. For a message from a stranger, a scam or anything that looks odd, skip the link. Clicking can confirm that your address is active, and some fake unsubscribe links lead to phishing pages. Mark those messages as spam instead.
When spam is a warning sign
Most spam is just annoying. Some is a sign that your details are being used. Watch for:
- Password reset emails you did not ask for, which can mean someone is trying to get into an account.
- Messages that quote an old password, a common extortion trick that uses breach data.
- Fake breach notices asking you to click and log in. See how to tell if a breach notice is real.
If any of these appear, change the password for that service, turn on two-factor authentication and read what to do when your email is in a breach.
Set up your inbox to do the work
Most email services let you build filters. A few rules can move newsletters into a separate folder, send known junk straight to the bin and keep your main inbox for people and accounts that matter. If you use aliases, filter each alias into its own folder so you can see at a glance which company is sending what.
Should you start a new email address?
Sometimes it is the cleanest fix, especially for an address that has been in many breaches. But moving is work: every account has to be updated. A good middle path is to keep the old address, move important accounts such as banking to a fresh address that you never share publicly, and use aliases for everything else.
Sources
- FTC Consumer Alert: Let’s talk about spam texts and emails (filters, mark as spam, unsubscribe, reporting)
Frequently asked questions
Why did I suddenly start getting lots of spam?
The most common reason is that your address appeared in a data breach or on a list that was sold or shared. Check it against known breaches with the free tool on this page.
Does deleting spam help?
Less than marking it as spam. Reporting spam trains your provider’s filter. Deleting it teaches the filter nothing.
Is replying to spam a good idea?
No. Replying confirms that your address is active and read, which can lead to more spam.
Can I get my email off spam lists?
Not completely, because lists are copied and resold. You can reduce spam with filters and aliases, and by removing your address from public pages.
Is unsubscribing safe?
For companies you recognise, yes. For unknown or suspicious senders, mark the message as spam instead of clicking anything.
See if your email has already leaked
- Checks your email against known data breaches
- Shows which sites leaked it, when, and what leaked
- We do not store the email you check
Get alerted when your email leaks
Every NordVPN plan includes Dark Web Monitor, which alerts you if your email appears in new leaks.
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