Worried about opening suspicious emails? You are not alone. Many people are confused about the risks associated with spam and phishing emails.

This includes “Bill” from Groton, Conn., who wrote us and asked, “My friends and I are not clear if we can get into trouble by clicking on a spam or hacker email…so long as long as we don’t open anything. INSIDE e-mail… in other words… can we ever have problems just reading any e-mail???

That’s a great question, Bill. Now let’s dive into this topic and clear up some common misconceptions.

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Person checking email on laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Common misconceptions

Opening emails can instantly infect your device: A common myth is that simply opening an email can automatically infect your device with malware. In reality, modern email systems (such as Gmail, Outlook, etc.) generally prevent this from happening. The real danger comes from interacting with the content in the email, such as clicking on malicious links or downloading harmful attachments.

Plain text emails are always secure: While plain text emails are generally more secure than HTML-based emails, they can still pose a risk if they contain malicious links. Phishing attacks can appear in plain text emails, luring you to dangerous websites.

Emails from known contacts are always safe: Even if an email looks like it’s from someone you know, that doesn’t always mean it’s safe. Attackers can spoof email addresses or hack into accounts, so always be on the lookout for unexpected or unusual messages from known contacts, especially those containing links or attachments.

Spam filters catch all malicious emails: Spam filters are very effective, but not perfect. Some sophisticated phishing and malicious emails can bypass these filters and reach your inbox. That’s why it’s important to remain vigilant, even with emails that appear to have passed your email service’s security checks.

Email preview is always safe: Most modern email clients use a “preview” panel for quick reading. While the risk of preview malware is significantly reduced in updated systems, embedded tracking tools or other forms of data collection may appear, confirming your activity to the spammer. Always disable automatic image loading or other active content features in your email client settings to minimize exposure.

Person checking email on laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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What to watch out for

As already mentioned, in general, simply opening an email is not enough to cause harm. However, there are some important points to consider:

1) Built-in trackers: Some spam or phishing emails contain trackers that can notify the sender when the email is opened. This can confirm to the spammer that your email address is active, which can lead to more spam.

2) Malicious links and attachments: The real danger is clicking on links or downloading email attachments. They can lead to malicious websites or download malware onto your device.

3) HTML emails: Emails that contain HTML content can sometimes execute scripts when opened. While modern email clients have protection against this, it is still a potential risk.

4) Phishing attempts: Even if you don’t click anything, phishing emails it can be designed to look very convincing and trick you into providing personal information if you respond.

Person checking email on laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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How to protect yourself from suspicious emails

If you’re worried about receiving incomplete emails, there are some steps you can take to stay safe and reduce your risk of encountering malware or falling prey to scams. Follow these guidelines to protect yourself:

1) Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments: Never click on links or download files from emails you don’t trust. Scammers often use these tactics to direct you to malicious websites or install malware on your device. The best way to protect yourself from malicious links that install malware, which could access your information. private, is to have antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe. Get my picks for the best antivirus protection winners of 2024 for your Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS devices.

2) Use a reputable email client: Choose an email provider that prioritizes security features like spam filtering and two-factor authentication to add an extra level of protection for your account. Read more about secure and private email here.

3) Enable email filtering: Enable spam filters to reduce the number of unsolicited or potentially dangerous emails that reach your inbox. This reduces your exposure to phishing attempts. Most email platforms these days automatically filter what they assume to be “junk” into their own folder. If you notice that the amount of spam arriving in your inbox is increasing, we recommend that you consider Spam filter. There are free options for different email providers. For Gmail, try it Mail washer. For Outlook and Windows Mail, try Spam Bullywhich costs an annual fee of $29.95.

4) Keep your software up to date: Regular update your email client and operating system to stay protected from the latest security vulnerabilities that hackers might exploit.

5) Consider data removal services: Use data removal services to ensure that your personal information is less accessible to potential fraudsters. This reduces the risk of being targeted in the first place.

While no service promises to remove all of your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously on a longer period of time. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.

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Kurt’s main takeaways

Although opening spam emails is usually not dangerous, it is always better to err on the side of caution. Be vigilant, trust your instincts, and when in doubt, delete suspicious emails without opening them.

What’s the most convincing spam email you’ve ever received and how did you recognize it was fake? Let us know by writing to Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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