It seems like if I ever research an item to purchase I then get ads for similar things and get put on numerous mailing lists, which I understand is built into the algorithms. What I am ticked off about is that when I take the time to unsubscribe from the many mailing list all of sudden I am getting put on a fresh bunch of unrelated mailing lists. Particularly it has been a crap load of body armor and sniper type gear that I was not interested in.
Is there a way to prevent being put on these other lists?

I don't know, but I have an address I've used for over 20 years now that I'm getting ready to abandon because I get 15-30 a day, every day, seemingly from the same source (same topics/ads) , but blocking them does no good because they're all sent from different addresses.

All you are doing when you "unsubscribe" is prove to the sender that there is a real live human behind the e-mail address. This knowledge has value to them, abd they harvest that value by re-selling the information. Welcome to the 21st Century.

I have found that an effective way to unsubscribe is to use "+" addressing when subscribing in the first place. There is far more information on this on the net than I have room for here. You do have to have a cooperative e-mail provider, or run your own server to set it up, and, more importantly, disable an address when you no longer want it (+ addresses are delivered by default).

I believe that many mailer developers have implemented some form of temporary addressing within the mailer itself. Some of these may charge a fee.

Thanks for the info, I don't really understand it but appreciate it anyway.
The problem is that I haven't even signed up for ads or emails in the first place, these are being auto generated by just doing a product search. Obviously my address is being shared because I will get one from a company somewhat related to the product search I did and then in the next couple of days a half dozen or more show up. Very predatory.

It takes a lot of money to grow crops or run a meat producing ranch.
It takes very little to harvest email addresses, use them to push marketing and sell those same email addresses to others that direct market.

Many Billions of dollars made over email addresses.

You are a meat crop.

I have had my main email for over 30 years. I get about 200 junk emails a day and I hate it. One time I took the time to unsubscribe to every single junk email in hopes of reducing the amount of junk email I get. Nope. It just changed from one I unsubscribed from to a new one and I still get the same number. It is absurd. I now also am getting at least 5 political or junk texts a day as well.

I have learned that on many junk texts, if you reply “F**k off” they consider that as “Stop” and unsubscribe you. I like the first version better.

quote:

I have had my main email for over 30 years. I get about 200 junk emails a day and I hate it.

I too have had my main (only) email address for over 30 years. I get about 3 junk emails a day. I know to avoid “unsubscribing”. Or responding in any way. As architect said above, that just informs the bastards that you viewed the spam that they sent.

quote:

Originally posted by bettysnephew:
Thanks for the info, I don't really understand it but appreciate it anyway.
The problem is that I haven't even signed up for ads or emails in the first place, these are being auto generated by just doing a product search. Obviously my address is being shared because I will get one from a company somewhat related to the product search I did and then in the next couple of days a half dozen or more show up. Very predatory.

You don't say if you're doing this 'product search' activity on a PC or your phone, but something is spying your activity on your device...Facebook, Google, or perhaps some other spyware! Identify the cause, and fix that first!

What browser do you use? Certain browsers and/or browser extensions (I use Firefox ESR & Brave) give you the ability to block 3rd Party Tracking Cookies (as well as ads and other annoyances!), which 'can' be beneficial in minimizing your internet 'exposure' as well. Avoid the Algorithms!

Fun Fact - Virtually all Apps are spyware, and YOU are the product! Facebook and Google are the worst!

I have considered getting a tablet or laptop and not put any of my email info on it.
Do my searches on that unit then go to main cpu to actually communicate with persons of interest.

Will that cut down the spam? I don't know.

quote:

Originally posted by bettysnephew:
Is there a way to prevent being put on these other lists?

Clicking the 'unsubscribe' link is what got you on those other lists, so don't do that.

Some 'unsubscribe' links are legit, and some others are just ways for the unscrupulous senders to verify that a) that email address works and b) the recipient will click on links.

Addresses like that are gold to the unscrupulous. Those get sold on the dark web, shared/traded etc. So, if your 'unsubscribe' link happens to have been from someone like that, it's going to multiply your junkmail, rather than subtract one sender. And you can't tell from what's easily visible in your email client, as that all can be faked.

The better approach, rather than clicking 'unsubscribe', is to add the sender to your email 'junk mail' list so future junk mail from that sender gets straight into your trash instead of clogging your inbox.

TL/ DR: You can't stop them sending but you can make it so you don't know/care whether or not they do.

I have a throw away gmail account that I use whenever I need to provide an email to someone I don’t want to hear from. I go into it about once a year and delete everything in it just to keep the account active. Some times I go in it to track shipping info for an order and thenq ignore it again. You can also blacklist or designate addresses as spam so you don’t see them.

It also helps to not stay signed in on any apps. Facebook, google maps, you tube, social medea and really, any google product. It takes a little more effort, but sign out when you aren’t actively using the app. Turn off "background app refresh" and after using an app, open the multi-tasking page and kill the app or better yet, go into settings and force stop the app. Check the allowed permissions of every app on your device and deny any permissions that don’t make sense. I have a 3D knot app that shows how to tie certain knots. Why does it need access to the microphone and location? And check them regularly, especially after updates.

I won't say every app is spying and collecting data on you, but I assume they are. I remember a while back it came out that the Uber app was tracking locations after the ride was completed, IIRC for some 30 minutes. They get away with it because people agreed to it when they signed up. The only way to completely get away from all this is not use any tech at all, but you can take steps to reduce it.

I went to SHOT in 2011, used a certain name/email address for that (and never anything else). 15 years later I'm still getting industry related spam from that.


All my current spam problems (multiples of the same emails, 5-10 times a day, all from different no doubt spoofed email address) all have the standard "Unsubscribe" nonsense at the bottom, and an address. Which comes back to: https://entrepreneur.nyu.edu/resource/leslie-elab/ (though they could be referring to an apt. above it)

If you ever seen on the news there was an explosion, or a mass shooting, it'll be because someone had finally had enough. lol

quote:

Originally posted by SpinZone:
It also helps to not stay signed in on any apps. Facebook, google maps, you tube, social medea and really, any google product. It takes a little more effort, but sign out when you aren’t actively using the app.

For the record, 'Signing Out' doesn't stop the tracking! Just one example but, I signed in to facebook, exactly ONCE on my PC, using my wife's account via a web browser to access our HOA Community Page on facebook. I'm the HOA President and I needed to reply to a Homeowner inquiry...And I do NOT do facebook!. Anyway, I logged out after I was done, but that didn't stop anything! My wife was getting ads for two years after that, for virtually everything I searched for online! Facebook...Just Don't!

^^^^^
Puzzled. I view FB daily to know what my SiL and niece are doing. I don’t get the ads you mention. Maybe because I use my iPhone FB app? If so, it must be a superior viewing method.