Now, before you ask me the question.
Is there really a complete solution to the problem? No.
You could cut yourself off from the Internet, but that is an extremely unlikely option in 2021.
The best we can hope for is to filter out most of it.
The email client or the cloud-based service you used to access emails
will have filters built-in to limit the number of spam you receive.
These emails will be sent to a separate folder, usually named spam.
As you know, they are not perfect.
Some spam emails will still be in your inbox, or some legitimate emails will also be in your spam folder.
We can’t remove these errors completely, but we can reduce them.
At number 5. Train your filter.
When you find spam email in your inbox, don’t delete it.
Select it and tell your mail client that this email message is spam.
How you do this depends on your email client.
For example, if you are using Gmail, click the Report spam button in the toolbar.
You need to train your email client about your false positives.
Go through your spam folder look for email messages that don’t belong there.
When you find them, select it and tell the email client that it was a mistake.
In Gmail, you click the Not spam button.
Over time, this should help reduce your false positives.
At number 4. Never respond to spam.
If you recognize something as spam, don’t open it.
If you already open it, close it.
Remember, do not click a link or a button, or download a file from a message that you suspect is spam.
If you open spam because it appeared to be coming from a family or friend, contact them, and let them know that their email account could be compromised.
At number 3. Hide your email address.
The more everyone knows your email address, the more spam you will get.
So try to not share your email address too much.
Don’t post it on online unless you need to for business, for example.
The best practice is to use a unique email address for that purpose.
You can also use disposable email addresses when you’re not sure about sharing your real one.
Spamex and Temp Mail are two options you could use.
At number 2. Use a third-party anti-spam filter.
There are a lot of companies online offering this service.
Some are free like MailWasher, but most are not, but some will offer a 14-day trial of their software.
Why should you think about using these services?
Because third-party anti-spam filters can eliminate spam before it can get to your mailbox.
This is geared towards business, but personal users can use these services just as well.
At number 1. Change your email address.
This is the last resort in my book.
It’s drastic, but if you are overloaded with spam, and it’s driving you mad, it may be a logical option for you to take.
Inform your family, friends and coworkers about your email change.
It’s best to keep both addresses for a few months, just in case, you forgot to inform someone.
Once you close your old email address, your spam count should finally plummet.
Just remember to keep this new email address close to your chest.