Users Have Clicked the ‘Unsubscribe’ Button in Emails Without a Second Thought for Years. That’s Exactly What Cybercriminals Expect

Your inbox can quickly become chaotic—a digital dumping ground where unwanted messages pile up. The reason is simple: Almost any online procedure requires an email address, no matter how innocuous it may seem. Whether registering on your electric company’s website or connecting to free Wi-Fi at a coffee shop, email always comes first.

Eventually, you decide to bring order to this personal space. One obvious way to start is by stopping the flow of unwanted emails. The most logical step is usually to click the unsubscribe link included at the end of some messages. It might say “Unsubscribe,” “If you want to unsubscribe, click here,” or something similar. The promise is clear: Click it, and that sender will go away.

But That One Click Can Take You Exactly Where You Don’t Want to Go

Although the function is legitimate, cybercriminals can exploit it. According to DNSFilter, hundreds of unsubscribe links lead to malicious or unsafe sites. That turns a harmless gesture—getting rid of an annoying email—into a gateway to far more serious problems.

When you click to unsubscribe, you leave the secure environment of your email provider. You’re taken to an external webpage, and that’s where the risk begins. The link may not unsubscribe you at all—it might confirm that your email address is active. It’s similar to scam calls that hang up immediately. If you answer, they know you exist.

Once verified, attackers can bombard you with more ads, attempt elaborate phishing frauds or try to trick you out of personal information. Some links may even inject malware into your system. Though technically complex, this attack vector is not impossible. Many malicious links redirect to fake pages that mimic legitimate services. There, you might unknowingly enter your credentials or personal data, thinking you’re completing the unsubscribe process.

At this point, the question arises: What should you do? Do you just resign yourself to a flooded inbox? The answer is no.

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You can still act—safely. The first step is awareness. Understanding the threat allows you to act wisely.

• Use the built-in unsubscribe function. Email services like iCloud, Gmail, and Yahoo offer an unsubscribe option directly within their interfaces. This is a safer alternative than clicking links in the email itself. These internal links usually appear at the top or bottom of the message and are part of the provider’s platform—not controlled by the sender.
• Mark the message as spam. Another safe option is to mark the email as spam. The message will disappear from your inbox, and the system will learn to block similar emails in the future. However, only use this feature when you’re sure the message is spam. Otherwise, you’ll teach the system to misclassify emails.
• Use disposable email addresses. If you don’t want to share your real email, don’t. Apple’s “Hide My Email” feature is one such tool. Users on Apple devices can activate this when signing up for services. The system generates a random address that forwards messages to your main inbox. If you start receiving unwanted emails, you can identify which address they’re using and delete it.

This feature is free, and iCloud+ users can create new email aliases anytime—not just during sign-up. That adds another layer of privacy and control.

You should also follow general cybersecurity best practices: Keep your software up to date and use a reliable malware protection tool. These aren’t foolproof solutions, but they offer additional layers of defense.

No system is 100% secure. But you can stay informed and take the right precautions to avoid falling into cybercriminals’ traps.

Image | Clint Patterson (Unsplash)

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