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irishgeoff22
irishgeoff22

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9 ways you can stop spam on your website

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If you've published your email address on your website and are receiving unwanted spam, you can take several steps to reduce or eliminate this issue. Here are nine ways to stop getting unwanted spam to your publicly available email address:

  1. Use an Email Obfuscation Tool:
    Consider using an email obfuscation tool or plugin to hide your email address from email harvesting bots. These tools can encode your email address in a way that's still visible to humans but not easily readable by automated scripts.

  2. Replace Text with Images:
    Instead of displaying your email address as text on your website, you can create an image of your email address and use that on your site. Spambots typically can't interpret text within images.

  3. Implement CAPTCHA:
    Incorporate CAPTCHA challenges on your contact forms to ensure that only real people can submit messages. This can help prevent automated bots from sending you spam.

  4. Utilize a Contact Form:
    Instead of displaying your email address directly, use a contact form on your website. This way, visitors can send you messages without seeing your email address, making it less susceptible to spam.

  5. Set Up Email Filtering:
    Use your email service's filtering capabilities to automatically move potential spam messages to a separate folder. This won't stop the spam, but it will keep your inbox cleaner.

  6. Enable Email Verification:
    On your contact form or subscription page, add an email verification step where users must confirm their email address by clicking a link sent to them before they are added to your list or contact you.

  7. Use a Dedicated Email Address:
    Consider creating a dedicated email address specifically for your website, which is different from your primary personal or business email. This way, spam won't clutter your primary inbox.

  8. Avoid Displaying Email in Clear Text:
    If you must display your email address, avoid using the standard "mailto" HTML link, which is easily scraped by spambots. Instead, write it out with additional text, like "contact [at] yourdomain [dot] com."

  9. Periodically Change Your Email Address:
    If the spam becomes overwhelming, you might consider changing your publicly displayed email address periodically. Update your website and inform your regular contacts of the change.

These steps can significantly reduce the amount of unwanted email you receive. Be proactive in protecting your email address and consider a combination of these methods to discourage spammers.

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