Clearing out your inbox each morning can be exhausting, especially if your work email is being flooded with junk mail and unwanted promotions. When your business inbox is being overrun by spam instead of potential customers, you have a problem. So how do you solve it and get back to an email that is secure, organized, and junk-free? Here’s the simple Gmail trick that will reveal who’s selling your data, and what to do about it.
[Related: Inbox Security to Protect Your Business]
How Do Spammers Get Your Email Address?
When spammers get a hold of your email, it typically isn’t because you or your employees personally handed it to them. You might sign up for a legitimate app or service that your business wants to work with, and then that app or service turns around and sells your email address to a third-party. This process is great for spammers since the indirect way of receiving your information means pointing the blame is difficult. But it doesn’t have to be.
[Related: Recent Cyberattacks Increasingly Target Individuals]
Try This Gmail Trick to Identify Scammers
Before you stop registering for apps and services that actually help your business function day-to-day, read on. If you use the email service Gmail, a handy trick exists that can let you know who exactly is selling your data.
Next time you sign up for an account with a website that requires your email address, alter your address a bit by adding a unique identifier. For example, if the email you want to use is “appliancebusiness@gmail.com,” enter it in the form as “appliancebusiness+appname@gmail.com,” obviously replacing “app name” with the app or website’s name.
You can also add a period anywhere in your email address, i.e. “appliance.business@gmail.com”
Gmail ignores anything coming after a “+” sign, and completely dismisses a period, so messages will still make it into your inbox. Only this time, you can see who the messages are directed to. If it’s a spam message sent to “appliancebusiness+appname@gmail.com” or “appliance.business@gmail.com,” you’ll know the culprit behind sending your data is who you signed up using those particular addresses with.
Remember: The method of adding the app name after the plus sign helps quickly identify the culprit, whereas you’ll have to remember who you signed up with using a period.
[Related: How Can a Cybersecurity Assessment Help Your Business?]
How to Clean Up Your Inbox Now
Before beginning this new method, we recommend you go through your inbox and spend a bit of time unsubscribing from unwanted emails and promotions by finding the fine print “unsubscribe link” toward the bottom of the message.
If you live in the United States, you can report privacy violations to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). This won’t necessarily do anything concrete, but enough complaints about a certain company could spark investigation later on.
You might not be able to go back in time and reverse the selling of your email, but using this helpful Gmail hack can notify you in the future and allow you to pinpoint which services and apps to unsubscribe from.
[Related: Does Last Week’s Hack Affect My Business?]
Stay Secure with VemaPoint
In 2020, one out of every four companies had an email security breach. This isn’t a group you want to be a part of. An email security breach could mean a larger-scale data breach, a ton of money and time wasted, and a business reputation ruined.
If you’re looking for ultimate security and satisfaction when it comes to protecting your private information, VemaMail can help. VemaPoint’s private and secure email platform is based on the idea that your personal information is yours and yours alone. We’ll keep your email secure and private while helping you avoid an inbox flooded with spam. Get started with VemaMail today or contact us if you have any questions.