Is It Safe to Unsubscribe From Spam Emails?
By the Spamtrace team. . 2 minute read.
It is safe to unsubscribe from a company you recognize and probably signed up with. If you do not recognize the sender, do not click anything, because the link could lead to a fake website or confirm that your address is active. Mark the email as spam instead, and report it if you want.
When is it safe to unsubscribe?
If you recognize the company and you probably signed up, such as a store you have bought from, the unsubscribe link is the right tool. In the United States, the CAN-SPAM Act requires commercial email to give you a way to opt out.
Many email services, including Gmail, also show their own Unsubscribe link at the top of the email, next to the sender's name. That one is the safer choice when it appears.
When should you not click unsubscribe?
Please do not click anything in an email if:
- You do not recognize the sender and never signed up
- It threatens you, or says you must act right now
- It claims you won a prize, or that your account has a problem
- It pretends to be a bank, a delivery company, or the government
In these emails, an "unsubscribe" link can lead to a fake website, and clicking any link may show the sender that your address is active.
Should you unsubscribe, block, or report?
| What you can do | When to use it | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Unsubscribe | You know the company and signed up | Asks the company to stop |
| Mark as spam | You never asked for it | Trains your email filter |
| Block | One sender keeps writing to you | Stops that address reaching you |
| Report | You never asked for it, and want to tell the network | Tells the company that can shut the sender down |
What should you do instead of unsubscribing?
- Do not click, reply, or open attachments.
- Mark it as spam in your email program.
- If it is a scam, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- If you want to tell the network that sent it, report it with Spamtrace within 2 days of receiving it.