You open your email and see a flood of messages offering free consultations, sales, "breaking" news and a host of other unwanted information. You didn't ask for any of that, so why is your inbox filled with spam? Here's a look at four ways spammers get your email address and how to protect your email address from spammers in the future.
| Channel | Publish Date | Thumbnail & View Count | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
 Ask Leo! | 2024-07-11 15:00:28 |  4,858 Views |
8 Ways Spammers Get Your Email Address
There are four main ways that spammers get your email address. Here's a look at each method and what you can do to defend your inbox against these unwanted intrusions.
Spammers buy email addresses both legally and illegally. When you create an account on a website or service or make an online purchase, please read the privacy policy carefully. Your email address may be sold to a marketing list, creating unwanted spam. In addition, dishonest ISP employees sometimes sell mailing lists through eBay or the black market.
Any text on a web page that contains the @ character is fair for email collection programs. Spammers and hackers use complex automated tools to scan the web and collect email addresses. Spammers collect email addresses from mailing lists, websites, chat rooms, domain contact points and more. Understand that if you list your email address online, a spammer will find it.
