Understanding Email Spam and How to Easily Deal with It

Advances in information technology are often exploited by irresponsible parties. Criminal activity has begun to spread across the internet through various cyberattacks. Email spam is one type of cyberattack that you need to be wary of because it has the potential to harm your computer.

Spam email has become increasingly rampant in Indonesia in 2022. Many victims are lured by promotional offers or prizes in spam emails, leading them to click on the links without hesitation. A lack of digital literacy regarding cybercrime is also a reason why spam email is spreading so rapidly in this country.

Cloudmatika will provide a comprehensive overview of email spam in this article. Read on to the end so you can be more vigilant against this type of cybercrime.

What Is Email Spam?

The term “spam” is actually an acronym for “Sending and Posting Advertisement in Mass.” Therefore, spam in the context of email refers to messages sent repeatedly by the same sender.

Spam emails are certainly unwanted by recipients because they are quite annoying. In addition, the content of spam emails usually consists of unwanted promotions. Recipients do not recognize the people sending the spam emails (also known as spammers), let alone subscribe to their newsletters.

Spam emails should go straight to the spam folder, but they may end up in your main inbox. As a result, some people open them and fall victim to the spammers’ schemes.

Spam emails are actually similar to promotional text messages or prize offers that appear on your cell phone. Regardless of the medium used, spammers engage in this activity for specific purposes. Their goals may range from simply promoting products to spreading hoaxes or stealing the recipients’ data.

Why Do You Receive Spam Emails?

“Where did the spammer get my email address?” That question surely crosses your mind when you receive a suspicious email from a stranger. The four points below are the most likely reasons you’re receiving spam emails.

1. Your Email Address Was Found at Random

Spammers search for your email address at random using specialized email address-scanning tools and by trying different variations of the @ symbol. Some spammers also obtain their targets’ email addresses manually by guessing. For example, if a target’s name is Tika, a spammer might guess that her email address is “tika@gmail.com.”

2. Your Email Address Was Sold by an Unscrupulous Individual

This happened in Indonesia some time ago. Unscrupulous individuals obtained your email address from a platform you had previously used.

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For example, you might have had to register your email address to make a transaction on a platform. The collected email data was then sold to spammers, allowing them to carry out their schemes. However, not all platforms engage in this unethical practice.

3. Spam Email Senders Come from Your Contacts

Spammers may obtain your contacts’ email addresses by hacking their accounts. As a result, they find your email address and start flooding your inbox with spam emails.

4. Data Breaches

Just like identity theft, data breaches are also rampant in Indonesia. When you enter your email address on a platform, that information can be exploited by unscrupulous parties.

What Are the Different Types of Spam Emails?

Spam emails aren’t always just promotions or prize offers. These messages can also be cyberattacks disguised in such a way that recipients don’t realize they’re under attack.

You should be wary if you receive emails like the ones below, as they are classified as spam.

1. Commercial Emails

These emails contain unwanted advertisements or promotions. You never provided your email address to spammers or subscribed to a newsletter to receive these ads. Commercial emails can certainly make you feel uncomfortable, especially if they are sent continuously.

2. Prize Offer Emails

The subject lines and content of these emails are indeed enticing—for example: “Congratulations! You’ve just won a prize worth RpXXX”—even though you’ve never participated in any event organized by the sender.

You should avoid this type of email because it can be a ploy by spammers to obtain your personal information. Their tactic is to ask for your email address or cell phone number so you can receive the prize.

3. Phishing or Spoofing Emails

Phishing emails are a form of cyberattack and represent an advanced level of spam. Cases of spoofing or phishing via email occur when you respond to a spam email and provide sensitive information, including passwords and OTP codes. This ultimately leads to data theft and cybercrime, which can be quite dangerous.

4. Email Scams or Hoaxes

Spammers carry out their schemes by impersonating well-known figures or personalities that many people are familiar with. They request large sums of money and promise to return it. These scams are common online and result in significant financial losses for many victims.

How Can You Deal with Spam Emails?

Don’t worry—you can still deal with spam emails that end up in your inbox. Here are some effective tips you can try to avoid falling victim to these scams.

1. Be Cautious When Providing Your Email Address

Be careful when sharing your email address. You should thoroughly check the security of any platform before registering your email address with it. For website owners, you can provide a form on the “Contact Us” page so you don’t have to display your email address on the website, which could make it a target for spammers.

2. Avoid Opening Spam Emails

Spammers can detect whether an email address is active when you open a spam message. In addition, they can track the times you regularly open messages. This information creates an opportunity for spammers to send even more spam to your inbox. Therefore, never open spam emails, especially those from unknown senders.

3. Recognize the Signs of Spam Emails

What if you’ve already opened a spam email? Don’t worry—you just need to recognize the signs so you don’t click on any links within the message.

Phishing emails are usually sent by parties impersonating official institutions. You can spot them by their requests for sensitive information—official institutions never ask for this via email. Official institutions will also include their name in the message. Meanwhile, hoax emails can be identified by unclear and confusing content.

4. Mark Suspicious Emails as Spam

You should first mark mysterious emails as spam before deleting them. This step helps your inbox immediately detect the email and move it to the spam folder.

5. Use Anti-Spam Software

Enhancing your security system is the best way to combat spam emails. In addition to built-in firewalls and antivirus software, you need to implement layered security with anti-spam software.

The best software for combating email spam is Cloudmatika Mail Buster. Let Mail Buster handle detecting spam emails so you don’t have to bother marking spam messages in your inbox. The package price is quite affordable and includes both incoming and outgoing services. Go ahead and contact Cloudmatika right away to upgrade your email account and protect yourself from spam and virus attacks.