Q&A: How do I know if clicking on those unsubscribe links is safe? (2024)

Question: Myemail inbox is flooded. I want to unsubscribe to some of the promotions Isigned up for and some I didn’t. But how can I tell the links are safe to clickon?

Answer: Weget it. Signing up for that email list might have seemed like a good idea inexchange for a big discount or some other perk. Now you just want the emails tostop!

Getting rid of all those pesky promotionalemails is a key step toward declutteringyour digital life.And if you're simply hitting "unsubscribe" on an email from a legitcompany, there's really no downside.

The problem is, scammers sometimes use fakeemails with a phony "unsubscribe" link at the bottom. Click on thelink, and you could land on a scam website or end up with spyware, or anothertype of malware, on your device.

So, here's what to do. If you remember signingup for the emails and you're sure they come from the actual business, go aheadand hit unsubscribe. Don't remember signing up for the emails or think the messagelooks fishy? Use the tools in your email program to label the message as"spam." For example, here's how to label a Gmail message as spam.

Marking the email as "spam" will sendfuture messages from the same sender straight to your spam folder. And it willget you one step closer to your goal: a decluttered inbox.

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Allie Johnson is a freelance journalist who covers cybersecurity, privacy, and consumer topics. She has written for Bankrate, CreditCards.com, and Discover.

Editorial note:Our articles provide educational information for you. Our offerings may not cover or protect against every type of crime, fraud, or threat we write about. Our goal is to increase awareness about Cyber Safety. Please review complete Terms during enrollment or setup. Remember that no one can prevent all identity theft or cybercrime, and that LifeLock does not monitor all transactions at all businesses. The Norton and LifeLock brands are part of Gen Digital Inc.