The Hidden Risk Behind ‘Unsubscribe’ Links
- Team UPG IT
- Jun 4
- 1 min read
Your inbox is probably full of newsletters and promotional emails you no longer need. The easy fix? Clicking the ‘unsubscribe’ button at the bottom of the email. But that button isn’t always as safe as it looks.
By clicking an unsubscribe link, you may be confirming to scammers that your email address is active. That alone makes you more attractive to spammers, who can then target you with more phishing messages.
The danger doesn’t stop there. Research shows that about 1 in 644 unsubscribe links actually lead to malicious websites. These sites may host fake login pages designed to steal your credentials or even install malware in the background. In some cases, they activate hidden trackers that monitor your browsing habits and collect personal data.
What starts as a simple clean-up of your inbox can quickly turn into a serious security issue.
What you should do
Use your email provider’s built-in unsubscribe button (like the one in Gmail) instead of external links.
Never enter passwords or sensitive details through an unsubscribe page. Confirming only your email address is fine if the sender is trusted.
Use a separate email address for sign-ups to keep your main inbox safe and reduce risks.
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