Cybercriminals sent out emails that included the message “Your subscription to our Adult Dating list has been confirmed. People who fall for the ruse are often sent to a web page that downloads malware on their device or steals the personal data they enter into a form.įor example, in October 2020, a new unsubscribe phishing email scam was making the rounds.
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You Might Become the Victim of an Unsubscribe Phishing Scamįor years, cybercriminals have been creating phishing emails that try to trick recipients into clicking an “Unsubscribe” link.
#Clean email subscriptions software
The attacks would have a better chance of succeeding because they would target the specific software your device is running.
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If the data about your device and the software on it falls into hackers’ hands, they could potentially use it to devise cyberattacks against you. This metadata can include details about the anti-spam software you are using as well as the name and IP address of the email server that sent the message. Every email you send includes metadata hidden in the message header. Less telling information is shared by systems that send unsubscribe requests via email (i.e., the “Unsubscribe” link opens an email window). The owner might also place a tracking cookie on your device, which allows them to identify you if you visit any website they own. When you visit the page, the website’s owner can learn a lot about your device, including its location (based on the IP address), the operating system that is installed, and which web browser is being used. Some systems open a web browser window and load a specific web page when you click the “Unsubscribe” link. The type of information depends on how the unsubscribe system works. When you unsubscribe, you might be unwittingly sharing information about your device and what is on it.
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If the junk emails in your inbox seem to multiply as fast as the dust bunnies under your bed, you might be tempted to clean house by clicking the “Unsubscribe” link found on many of them. Using “Unsubscribe” links might seem like a good way to prevent junk emails from cluttering your inbox but doing so is risky. Here are four reasons why you should avoid clicking “Unsubscribe” links in emails.