How to Remove a Name From Email Marketing
It seems as if you can't do anything these days without someone asking for your email address. You need one to shop online, use social networking websites and even when you apply for club cards at supermarkets, video stores and other retailers. Once your email is out there, you can expect a barrage of unwanted email solicitations, also known as spam. It probably isn't possible to remove yourself from every marketing list but you may be able to taper the amount of the email you receive.
Instructions
Difficulty:
Step 1
Unsubscribe from the email list. If you are receiving marketing emails from a legitimate company (one that you've done business with before such as an online retailer), they are required to provide removal instructions at the bottom of all of their marketing emails. You may need to reply to the message or follow a link and enter your email to be removed from the list. Ideally, you should go to the company's website, log into your account (or search the customer service page) for an option to remove yourself from future mailings. Sometimes removal can take a week or two to go into effect.
Step 2
Contact the sender's domain. If you've tried to remove yourself from a marketer's email list and they refuse to stop sending email, you can contact their web hosting provider or domain registrar and complain. To find out who that is and how to contact them, visit WhoIs.net.
Step 3
Report the marketer to SpamCop. You can report companies that won't stop sending spam to SpamCop.net. They use the information to track down where the spam is coming from and report it to the provider for you. They also use spam information to help make spam filters better.
Step 4
Change your email address. If your email address is inundated with unwanted emails, create a new email address just for friends and family. Never, ever enter this email address online or on any forms or applications. Turn the spam filter on and never open or reply to any unwanted emails. Use your old email address when you need to sign up for a new website or on applications and websites. When creating your new email address, use a mix of letters and numbers to make it harder for spam programs to guess your address.
References
Resources
Tips & Warnings
- Only use the unsubscribe feature for legitimate companies who are sending you unwanted email. If you click a link or respond to a real spammer, you have just verified that you exist and possibly put your computer at risk. Your junk email will skyrocket.
- Never click a link from within email even if it looks like it's from a company you know, such as your bank or another company you use unless you are positive that it is legitimate. Scammers can create very realistic websites and email messages that look like those of popular companies like Paypal and eBay. Whenever possible, type the address into your browser yourself to prevent phishing attacks and attempts to steal your log-in information.
Article Written By Robin Noelle
Robin Noelle is a professional writer living and working in Northern California. She has a degree in Journalism and a background in high tech public relations. She is the author of travel guides and end-user computer books.