How to Report and Prevent Form & Newsletter Spam
Spam messages can disrupt your website's forms and newsletters, but several effective methods can help minimize unwanted submissions. Here's how to protect your website:
Understanding Form Spam
Spambots continuously scan the internet for forms, email addresses, and forums to distribute unsolicited content. When using email-based form blocks, submissions arrive from [email protected], though this doesn't guarantee legitimacy.
Common Signs of Form Spam:
- Random letters and numbers in subject lines
- Requests to click "secure payment" links
- Unknown sender names and email addresses
Never click suspicious links or contact unknown senders in these submissions.
Effective Spam Prevention Methods
- Google reCAPTCHA
- Invisible tool that differentiates humans from bots
- Available for forms, newsletters, promotional pop-ups, and product waitlists
- Displays a small logo at the bottom of your site
- Confirmation Emails For Squarespace:
- Automatically enabled in newsletter blocks
- Works with promotional pop-ups and landing pages
- Requires subscriber validation
For Mailchimp:
- Uses double opt-in system
- Automatically enabled
- Requires email confirmation
Handling Suspicious Submissions
When spam is detected:
- A warning appears at the top of the email
- Use "Report spam" for undetected spam messages
- Click "Report as not spam" if legitimate messages are flagged
- All reports help improve spam detection systems
Best Practices:
- Review each submission carefully
- Don't click suspicious links
- Use both reCAPTCHA and confirmation emails for maximum protection
- Regularly monitor and report spam submissions
These measures won't eliminate all spam but will significantly reduce unwanted submissions while maintaining form functionality for legitimate users.
