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

That includes “Bill” from Groton, Connecticut, who wrote to us and asked: “My friends and I are confused about whether we can get in trouble by clicking on a spam or hacker email… as long as Let’s not open anything.” INSIDE email…in other words…can we ever get in trouble just by reading any email? Thank you if you can direct this to your viewers… I think many are not clear about this.”

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

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Person checking emails on a 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 (like Gmail, Outlook, etc.) usually prevent this from happening. The real danger comes from interacting with the email content, such as clicking on malicious links or downloading harmful attachments.

Plain text emails are always safe: While emails in plain text format 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 and lure you to dangerous websites.

Emails from known contacts are always safe: Even if an email appears to come from someone you know, that doesn’t always mean it’s secure. Attackers can spoof email addresses or hack accounts, so always be wary of unexpected or unusual messages from known contacts, especially those that contain links or attachments.

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

Previewing emails is always safe: Most modern email clients use a “preview” panel for quick reading. While the risk of malware through previews is significantly reduced on updated systems, embedded trackers or other forms of data collection may still occur, 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 emails on a laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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What to take into account

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

1) Integrated Trackers: Some spam or phishing emails They 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 could lead to more spam.

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

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

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

Person checking emails on a laptop (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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How to stay safe from suspicious emails

If you’re worried about receiving incomplete emails, there are several steps you can take to stay safe and reduce your risk of encountering malware or falling for 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 and potentially access your private information is to have antivirus software installed on all of 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 layer of protection for your account. Read more about secure and private email here.

3) Enable email filtering: Turn on spam filters to reduce the number of unsolicited or potentially dangerous emails that arrive in your inbox. This reduces your exposure to phishing attempts. Nowadays, most email platforms automatically filter out what they consider “junk” into their own folder. If you notice that the amount of spam arriving in your inbox is increasing, you may want to consider a Spam filter. There are free options for different email providers. For Gmail, try mail washer. For Outlook and Windows Mail, try spam bullywhich costs an annual fee of $29.95.

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

5) Consider data removal services: Use data removal services to ensure that your personal information is less accessible to potential scammers. 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 over a longer period of time. Check out my top picks for data removal services here.

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Kurt’s Key Takeaways

While opening spam emails is usually not dangerous, it is always better to err on the side of caution. Be vigilant, trust your instincts, and if 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 us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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