We show you how to stop spam or substantially reduce spam and phishing emails without needing to purchase 3rd party “washing” or “cleaning” software or services.
- How to stop SPAM using Microsoft 365 Outlook App
- How to stop SPAM using Apple Mail
- How to prevent spammers getting your email address
- How to stop genuine emails from going to SPAM or Junk Folder
- How to stop your outgoing emails ending up in your clients/friends SPAM or Junk Folder
- How to stop SPAM and PHISHING emails from even getting to you
- How to stop SPAM and PHISHING emails reaching your phone?
Many of us receive our emails to our computers (Windows/Mac) and devices (iPad, Tablet, Phones). Most of the spam-stopping techniques described herein are assuming you use a Windows PC or Apple Mac computer in which case the e-mail programs themselves can stop spam and phishing emails immediately.
The ideal situation is to filter out spam and phishing emails before they reach your computer or device. This is not free and so more important for Businesses so we recommend all Businesses employ Microsoft Exchange email for all work computers. This is achieved by purchasing Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Microsoft Exchange Plan 1. For pricing and details click here.
Assuming you are not a business and you use a FREE or Telecom email address (Bigpond, Telstra, iinet, westnet, google, hotmail, outlook etc) then on a Windows computer you require the current Outlook 365 program/app and on a Apple Mac, Outlook 365 program/app or Apple Mail.
If running Outlook 2010, 2013, 2016 …. upgrade to the latest version ASAP.
Avoid opening emails on a phone, device or webmail (using a web browser such as Safari, Chrome, FireFox or Edge) unless you are very tech savvy, as there is next to no protection against phishing links in emails if you click on them Unless you employ Microsoft Exchange accounts as detailed above.
How to stop SPAM using Microsoft 365 Outlook App
Outlook 365 on Windows Computers (Windows 10 or Windows 11)
Outlook 365 for Windows has powerful Junk Mail filtering built in. Here is how to use it
Highlight the email you want to mark as Junk or to Block and do a right-click > select Junk > Block Sender
Note the other options here ….. “Never Block Sender”, “Never Block Senders Domain”, “Never Block This Group or Mailing List”
Now click on “Junk E-mail Options” where you will see these options.
We strongly recommend the above setting …. Protection Level “High” and select “Disable Links…” and “Warn Me…”
Click the “Safe Senders” Tab.
This is where you add your most trusted email recipients… so thery never get blocked
Click the “Blocked Senders” Tab
Every email you “Block” ends up in here, can can add new ones manually or simply block them as you go. If emails you want end up in here, you can simply remove them.
Outlook 365 on Apple Mac Computers
Outlook 365 for Mac employs many of the options as described above, but like every Microsoft product on a Mac, they all look a little different.
How to stop SPAM using Apple Mail
Apple uses its own native email program called “Mail” or “Apple Mail” sometime “Mac Mail”. Even so it does have Junk e-mail filtering features, as follows
Goto Mail > Settings > Junk Mail
Make sure “Enable Junk Mail Filtering” is ticked, we suggest the following settings
How to prevent spammers getting your email address
Never “UNSUBSCRIBE” from marketing emails … this is how spammers confirm that your email address is valid and current. So simply BLOCK or send to JUNK (or Delete) …. but NEVER unsubscribe.
How to stop genuine emails from going to SPAM or Junk Folder
Outlook 365
Instead of Blocking Junk Emails, you may have genuine emails that are going to Junk by mistake.
In this instance you can choose the “Never Block Sender”, “Never Block Senders Domain”, “Never Block This Group or Mailing List” to make sure emails from a certain user or anyone in that domain.
If that does not fix the issue, check to see if the email address has been blocked in the past by choosing the “Junk E-Mail Options” > “Blocked Senders” selection. In this case, you will see the following
Simply remove any emails addresses from the list that should not be blocked.
Apple Mail
Simply remove any emails addresses from the list that should not be blocked.
How to stop your outgoing emails ending up in your clients/friends SPAM or Junk Folder
If you are a business and use your own domain, there are steps you can take to stop your emails going to users SPAM or Junk forders. Especially if those users have a @yahoo or @gmail address, see this article
Does your business send email to Gmail or Yahoo accounts?
If you do not have your own domain, then the fault could be the recipents accounts themselves. Ask them to check your address is not in their “blocked” email list.
How to stop SPAM and PHISHING emails from even getting to you
The ideal situation is to filter out spam and phishing emails before they reach your computer or device.
This is not free and so more important for Businesses so we recommend all Businesses employ Microsoft Exchange email for all work computers. This is achieved by purchasing Microsoft 365 Business Standard or Microsoft Exchange Plan 1. For pricing and details click here.
How to stop SPAM and PHISHING emails reaching your phone?
Using Outlook and adopting the above techniques.
Then leave your computer on to do the filtering. When Outlook syncs with your phone, it should remove those emails you don’t want and are a danger to open on your phone.
So where possible leave your computer on with Outlook or Apple Mail open and allow them to do the SPAM and phishing cleanup, then only the cleaned up emails will appear on your phone/device.
iTechWA are experts in everything Microsoft and Apple. For further help or assistance, please contact us here
