I had no idea “unsubscribe” buttons posed such a risk

[thevillager1988]

I have been diligently trying to keep my emails clear of clutter by unsubscribing to the many many advertisements that find their way into my inbox. Only recently did I notice many of the advertisements are coming from suspicious links. Ug. And now I have learned that there is a scam strategy that is precisely designed to get us to click the unsubscribe. Having done a little digging, I learned it is never a good idea to click the unsubscribe - and it’s likely to be a link that attaches a virus or malware to your computer.

This clip from an internet post explains it better than I can.

89988

I am now using care when clearing all the trash from my email. And because of my naivete on the subject, I have a lot of trash.

My intention in this post is to help others. If it's not helpful, I will be able to tell by the responses and will take it down.

If anyone finds it helpful, or has other advice, I am grateful.

[JohnN]

I found it helpful. Thanks.

[GrumpyOldMan]

Never ever ever click a link in an Email. Even an unsubscribe link.

Go to the website yourself by typing in the URL in your web browser and find the unsubscribe button there.

If you can not find the Unsubscribe option on the web site, then identify the email as "Junk" and let your email client move it into the trash (or junk folder) for you automatically, so you never see it again. I know gmail and apple mail have this option, I don't know if windows mail does.

[njbchbum]

In my email I can hover the mouse over the email subject and the full sender email will display - If/when I do not recognize that address I block it and my email client sends it to the junk file.

[EdFNJ]

Absolutely true and NEVER post your "PRIMARY" email online in Forums ESPECIALLY as your user name. I see so many users using their email as a username here. I cringe whenever I see that. SpamBots harvest every email they see and find. I have 5 different emails other than my "primary" for various uses. Easy enough with GMAIL accounts. If you have a GMAIL account you can even turn 1 account into unlimited different ones. jiohnsmith, john.smith, jo.hnsmith and every other combinationcan all be used with your existing email to help "track" where a lot spam starts from.

Sad part is that with every company that gets hacked (and there are a lot more than one might imagine), your email gets out as well. Not much can be done to stop it completely.

[Koapaka]

When you get an email you are no longer interested in receiving from the sender(s), just hit spam button on your email and it will go directly for any more sent from that sender.

[Mortal1]

true and not true. I have successfully unsubscribed to many, many emails from companies. If you put your cursor on the senders name you can find out if it's from the said company. the scammers/spammers will usually have some weird or non-associated address that pops up when you do this.

many of you are getting these emails because you click on ads when you visit websites(yes even ones you trust). Only go to websites that you know are legit. you also can google/bing any supposed website and find out if it's legit.

[GrumpyOldMan]

In my email I can hover the mouse over the email subject and the full sender email will display - If/when I do not recognize that address I block it and my email client sends it to the junk file.

That can be "spoofed", so not trust it.

[EdFNJ]

When you get an email you are no longer interested in receiving from the sender(s), just hit spam button on your email and it will go directly for any more sent from that sender. Great in theory but rarely in practice. Most junk spammers change their email on an hourly basis and nothing you can do to stop it. Just like the spam cell calls from spoofed phone numbers, You can block them all you want but every call you get will be from a new number (unless it is a family member !!!!).

[Stu from NYC]

thanks for posting

Hopefully when some sites sending me junk do not get a response they will move on and bother others.

[DAVES]

Absolutely true and NEVER post your "PRIMARY" email online in Forums ESPECIALLY as your user name. I see so many users using their email as a username here. I cringe whenever I see that. SpamBots harvest every email they see and find. I have 5 different emails other than my "primary" for various uses. Easy enough with GMAIL accounts. If you have a GMAIL account you can even turn 1 account into unlimited different ones. jiohnsmith, john.smith, jo.hnsmith and every other combinationcan all be used with your existing email to help "track" where a lot spam starts from.

Sad part is that with every company that gets hacked (and there are a lot more than one might imagine), your email gets out as well. Not much can be done to stop it completely.

I am far from an expert but, I have a second e-mail that I use when I need to receive stuff like an order confirmation. I know to look there for the confirmation. All these people CLAIM they do not sell your e-mail. It is amusing to see that they do. I clean that e-mail out every few months.

Years ago, I received e-mails from god. I would figure god would contact me direct oh and wouldn't be requesting a check.

You can block senders.

[MrFlorida]

Thanks for the info.

[EdFNJ]

I am far from an expert but, I have a second e-mail that I use when I need to receive stuff like an order confirmation. I know to look there for the confirmation. All these people CLAIM they do not sell your e-mail. It is amusing to see that they do. I clean that e-mail out every few months.

Years ago, I received e-mails from god. I would figure god would contact me direct oh and wouldn't be requesting a check.

You can block senders. You can block senders only if they always use the same address. They don't. "Professional" spam companies who send millions of emails a DAY (yes, DAY) use fake or spoofed addresses so blocking them is as meaningless as blocking spam cell phone calls because they spoof their addresses and rarely ever use the same one twice ..... although not sure I'd ever want to block GOD because I'm sure s/he could get even with you. ;)

[Sensei]

Thank you for the warning. Either way, it appears, subscribe or unsubscribe can bring additional issues.

[Outofjersey]

Thanks

[J1ceasar]

Thank you for the reminder for everyone that simply clicks.. has someone else suggested below if you hover over the email address in the send position it will tell you usually who sent it. If it's from a legitimate company their name will be in it directly as you normally get from them. But I was still would never click.. the best way is to mark it as spam from your email provider. Well some companies do change emails on a regular basis many do not cuz they can't simply afford to do that as they are too small. I have found that many email concerns can be satisfied by changing your own email software program from the Microsoft provided email to Google called Gmail. It has a much better spam filter in either AOL, Yahoo or MS. Good luck.

[Girlcopper]

I have been diligently trying to keep my emails clear of clutter by unsubscribing to the many many advertisements that find their way into my inbox. Only recently did I notice many of the advertisements are coming from suspicious links. Ug. And now I have learned that there is a scam strategy that is precisely designed to get us to click the unsubscribe. Having done a little digging, I learned it is never a good idea to click the unsubscribe - and it’s likely to be a link that attaches a virus or malware to your computer.

This clip from an internet post explains it better than I can.

89988

I am now using care when clearing all the trash from my email. And because of my naivete on the subject, I have a lot of trash.

My intention in this post is to help others. If it's not helpful, I will be able to tell by the responses and will take it down.

If anyone finds it helpful, or has other advice, I am grateful.
Clicking the unsubscribe just verifys for the scammers that its a valid active email. Yes, it has been a known fact for a long time but some dont know. You just block the address. Not unsubscribe

[scottiesrgreat@gmail.com]

Thank you for the reminder!!!! Great advice!

[Wonderfulwendy1]

I have been diligently trying to keep my emails clear of clutter by unsubscribing to the many many advertisements that find their way into my inbox. Only recently did I notice many of the advertisements are coming from suspicious links. Ug. And now I have learned that there is a scam strategy that is precisely designed to get us to click the unsubscribe. Having done a little digging, I learned it is never a good idea to click the unsubscribe - and it’s likely to be a link that attaches a virus or malware to your computer.

This clip from an internet post explains it better than I can.

89988

I am now using care when clearing all the trash from my email. And because of my naivete on the subject, I have a lot of trash.

My intention in this post is to help others. If it's not helpful, I will be able to tell by the responses and will take it down.

If anyone finds it helpful, or has other advice, I am grateful.
Get Gmail and the majority of spam/promotions will go automatically into a separate file, you don't even have to see.

[Bridget Staunton]

Wonderful post from all, thank you for the advice

[Marine1974]

Thanks for Sharing.

[sallyg]

Thanks! Good advice.

[Jewelz]

Thanks for the heads up.....I was doing this every once in a while and won't anymore!!!!

[Brondrisek]

Thanks

[M2inOR]

All good suggestions.

My wife's email address is being used to register to thousands of sites around the world since one event last weekend.

I've been helping her sort things out and using Gmail's SPAM tools to sort things out.

We we on the golf course Sunday afternoon when her phone and watch started singing with me message alerts.

Even worse was an online order confirmation from Lowe's amid those emails for a product we did not order. Monday afternoon was the first time I learned about the order as my CC alert indicated that a $1175 order was authorized.

I immediately called Chase to report the false charge, and then looked in both my and wife's email to see if there was anything from Lowe's. There was, to my wife's email, and I knew that was it as she always has me order stuff for her.

Talked to Lowe's and Chase to file reports.

Even though report was made, Lowe's had already started the shipping process via FedEx. I logged into my FedEx acct for alerts, mostly to make sure no delivery changes were attempted.

Yesterday, yes, the "ship to" address was changed. Fortunately, it was Lowecs who made the change to have FedEx return the product to its warehouse.

So, within those 5,000 emails she had received were the order confirmation and shipping info. Had I not intervened, we would never have even known. Also very helpful were the Chase CC text alerts to my phone.

Card was canceled and replaced by Tuesday.

Be care out there!

PS the emails to my spouse's inbox have slowed, as has the automatic SPAM filtering, but we remain vigilant!

[brick010207]

I have been diligently trying to keep my emails clear of clutter by unsubscribing to the many many advertisements that find their way into my inbox. Only recently did I notice many of the advertisements are coming from suspicious links. Ug. And now I have learned that there is a scam strategy that is precisely designed to get us to click the unsubscribe. Having done a little digging, I learned it is never a good idea to click the unsubscribe - and it’s likely to be a link that attaches a virus or malware to your computer.

This clip from an internet post explains it better than I can.

89988

I am now using care when clearing all the trash from my email. And because of my naivete on the subject, I have a lot of trash.

My intention in this post is to help others. If it's not helpful, I will be able to tell by the responses and will take it down.

If anyone finds it helpful, or has other advice, I am grateful.
Helpful

[OhioBuckeye]

I have been diligently trying to keep my emails clear of clutter by unsubscribing to the many many advertisements that find their way into my inbox. Only recently did I notice many of the advertisements are coming from suspicious links. Ug. And now I have learned that there is a scam strategy that is precisely designed to get us to click the unsubscribe. Having done a little digging, I learned it is never a good idea to click the unsubscribe - and it’s likely to be a link that attaches a virus or malware to your computer.

This clip from an internet post explains it better than I can.

89988

I am now using care when clearing all the trash from my email. And because of my naivete on the subject, I have a lot of trash.

My intention in this post is to help others. If it's not helpful, I will be able to tell by the responses and will take it down.

If anyone finds it helpful, or has other advice, I am grateful.

Thanks for this info, I didn’t know this! I wondered why all of a sudden I’m getting more stuff (spam) & I never asked for it or inquired about it. So how do I get rid of this junk that I’m getting all the time?

[keepsake]

Another peeve I have on email crap ...

I still use a browser that won't allow script websites to run without my authorization. Many of these so called REMOVE options expect my machine to RUN their suspicious script code to perform the remove. NADA. I don't trust script and THE LAW should require all REMOVE SCRIPTS to be standard HTML and not suspicious javascript code.

[noslices1]

I have been diligently trying to keep my emails clear of clutter by unsubscribing to the many many advertisements that find their way into my inbox. Only recently did I notice many of the advertisements are coming from suspicious links. Ug. And now I have learned that there is a scam strategy that is precisely designed to get us to click the unsubscribe. Having done a little digging, I learned it is never a good idea to click the unsubscribe - and it’s likely to be a link that attaches a virus or malware to your computer.

This clip from an internet post explains it better than I can.

89988

I am now using care when clearing all the trash from my email. And because of my naivete on the subject, I have a lot of trash.

My intention in this post is to help others. If it's not helpful, I will be able to tell by the responses and will take it down.

If anyone finds it helpful, or has other advice, I am grateful.

I usually click the “unsubscribe” link, but sometimes my IPhone pops up a message that this is a possible dangerous link. In that case I just transfer to Junk and delete.

[Shoogley]

Block ……. Does not work either.
We should have a way of blaming the carrier or phone software company to correctly filter incoming Mail to contact list only and junk everything else.

[M2inOR]

Block ……. Does not work either.
We should have a way of blaming the carrier or phone software company to correctly filter incoming Mail to contact list only and junk everything else.

This is sort of the way Gmail works. For new msgs you mark as SPAM, Gmail automatically places subsequent msgs from the same sender into your SPAM folder.

They don't identify that 1st msg as SPAM in case it is someone you do wish to interact with, and have not placed it into your contact list.

Also, they look at actual sender's email address, not at the name that is presented to you.

[DaleDivine]

:coolsmiley: Thanks

[thevillager1988]

Thanks for this info, I didn’t know this! I wondered why all of a sudden I’m getting more stuff (spam) & I never asked for it or inquired about it. So how do I get rid of this junk that I’m getting all the time?

Different email providers have different ways to ID Spam or Junk. On Yahoo, you can click the box to the left of the email and then go to the top menu area and click Spam.

[Tmcbryan]

I have been diligently trying to keep my emails clear of clutter by unsubscribing to the many many advertisements that find their way into my inbox. Only recently did I notice many of the advertisements are coming from suspicious links. Ug. And now I have learned that there is a scam strategy that is precisely designed to get us to click the unsubscribe. Having done a little digging, I learned it is never a good idea to click the unsubscribe - and it’s likely to be a link that attaches a virus or malware to your computer.

This clip from an internet post explains it better than I can.

89988

I am now using care when clearing all the trash from my email. And because of my naivete on the subject, I have a lot of trash.

My intention in this post is to help others. If it's not helpful, I will be able to tell by the responses and will take it down.

If anyone finds it helpful, or has other advice, I am grateful.

###########
My Apple has a junk folder. Put email there and it blocks sender

[LianneMigiano]

I wish that you had posted this weeks ago! I had been getting over 100 emails daily and so I started clicking "unsubscribe" on every one that I could!

[TesaA]

Yes, it is a very helpful reminder. To lower the number of trash emails, I select without opening them, then left click on Junk Mail followed by clicking on the line for Block this domain. The email is then erased and will not arrive again. (Hopefully)

[meme5x]

WOW..wish I had know sooner.. thx for info

[Topspinmo]

I have been diligently trying to keep my emails clear of clutter by unsubscribing to the many many advertisements that find their way into my inbox. Only recently did I notice many of the advertisements are coming from suspicious links. Ug. And now I have learned that there is a scam strategy that is precisely designed to get us to click the unsubscribe. Having done a little digging, I learned it is never a good idea to click the unsubscribe - and it’s likely to be a link that attaches a virus or malware to your computer.

This clip from an internet post explains it better than I can.

89988

I am now using care when clearing all the trash from my email. And because of my naivete on the subject, I have a lot of trash.

My intention in this post is to help others. If it's not helpful, I will be able to tell by the responses and will take it down.

If anyone finds it helpful, or has other advice, I am grateful.

When you go on sites and concur to cookie policy you better be reading the fine print. They pass on or sell you’re email address to World Wide Web and you will be getting thousands of emails. I never accept cookie terms.

[Topspinmo]

I wish that you had posted this weeks ago! I had been getting over 100 emails daily and so I started clicking "unsubscribe" on every one that I could!

Too late you’ll get thousands more you email address out there when you accepted cookie terms.

[NancyLee]

I am far from an expert but, I have a second e-mail that I use when I need to receive stuff like an order confirmation. I know to look there for the confirmation. All these people CLAIM they do not sell your e-mail. It is amusing to see that they do. I clean that e-mail out every few months.

Years ago, I received e-mails from god. I would figure god would contact me direct oh and wouldn't be requesting a check.

You can block senders.
Good one. LOL