Unsubscribe and spam
Unsubscribe from lists you joined. Report the rest.
Real businesses have to let you opt out, and fast. Scammers don't, and their unsubscribe links can be part of the trick.
What the law makes senders do
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Opt-outs within 10 business days
10 business days
Under the CAN-SPAM Act, a business has to honor your opt-out request within 10 business days. Its opt-out link or address has to keep working for at least 30 days after the email is sent.
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Unsubscribing can't cost you anything
A sender can't charge a fee, ask for more than your email address, or make you do more than reply or visit one web page to opt out. Once you opt out, they can't sell or transfer your address.
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What marketing emails must include
Marketing emails can't use false header info or deceptive subject lines. They have to say they're an ad, include a valid physical postal address, and clearly explain how to opt out.
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It covers all commercial email
Despite the name, CAN-SPAM isn't only about bulk email. It covers any commercial message, including business-to-business email.
What to do
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Unsubscribe from lists you joined, report the rest
Gmail's help says to use Report spam for unwanted mail, and to use Unsubscribe for senders you signed up with and no longer want to hear from.
Source: Gmail Help, Report spam in Gmail
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Use your provider's unsubscribe button
The FTC suggests unsubscribing from unwanted emails and notes that many email providers show an unsubscribe banner or button when you open a message.
Source: FTC Consumer Advice, How To Get Less Spam in Your Email (Sept 2024)
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Don't click unsubscribe in a phishing email
For a message you think is phishing, CISA says to delete it and not reply or click any link, including an unsubscribe link. Note: CISA labels this page as archived content.
Source: CISA Secure Our World, Recognize and Report Phishing (marked Archived Content)
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Still getting mail after opting out
10 business days
If a company's marketing email has no way to opt out, or it keeps coming 10 business days after you opted out, the FTC says to report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Source: FTC Consumer Alert, FTC lawsuit reminds businesses: CAN-SPAM means CAN'T spam (Aug 2023)
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How to report spam
The FTC says to forward unwanted emails to your email provider, mark them as spam or junk, and tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Source: FTC Consumer Advice, How To Get Less Spam in Your Email (Sept 2024)
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spam@uce.gov is retired
Don't forward spam to spam@uce.gov. The FTC has retired that mailbox and points people to its online complaint site instead.
Source: FTC press release page (2004), with retirement note added