Dealing with SPAM (Aug-2025)
Spam emails are usually part of your incoming email. However, how you handle those
annoying emails could put you at further risk. Handling it “correctly” by clicking on an
unsubscribe link or button could actually send you to a phishing or otherwise dangerous
site. At the very least, it tells the spam sender that they have a live email address. You may
now be tracked wherever you choose to browse the Web. This will result in even more
spam.
In past years, the advice was to unsubscribe from unwanted emails, even those you hadn’t
signed up for. The thought was that your data would be sent to a legitimate business, so
they would heed your request to be removed from their mailing list.
But now, spammers and would-be attackers are using spam email as a way to try to sneak
data from you without you knowing. Some may just be verifying that the email address is
valid, and if you are willing to interact with spam. However, a hacker could then build a
profile about you to try to scam you through tactics like “social engineering” successfully.
“Social engineering” refers to the use of deception to manipulate users into disclosing
confidential or personal information that can be used for fraudulent purposes. An example
of typical Comcast or Xfinity spam might go something like this: We are updating our
Terms of Service. Please click the button below by August 10, 2025, and log in to your
account. This action will provide acceptance of our Terms of Service. Failure to do so
will result in the shutdown of your email account. Of course, this is only an example of
“social engineering.” Do not perform anything remotely like this!
You have three options:
1. If the website is a known, legitimate site: Open a fresh tab in your browser and insert your
legitimate address. Next, use “Search” (Ctrl+F) to find the site’s “unsubscribe” page.
2. Mark the message as spam. You may also be able to block the sender if it’s obvious junk
email.
3. Create a filter for email with that subject line (or style of subject line) that sends such
messages straight into the spam folder.
I have found that using the Comcast spam filters are an effective way to limit spam from
entering your inbox. Electives filter settings will divert spam to its intended destination – the
spam folder. Other email providers may have similar ways to limit spam in your Inbox.
More on controlling spam in an upcoming Tech Tips article.