If they're legitimate mailing shots from a UK supermarket or other company (and likely same for EU/US) there will be an unsubscribe link - usually at the end of the email. I go through my inbox now and then and cull companies in who's products/services I had only a one off interest. With others, like Rohan or Brompton, I'm happy to be kept up to date on new products, bargains etc.

It's a while since I was getting foreign stuff, usually about Viagra or increasing the dimensions of my penis. How you handle that stuff where perhaps you'd rather not conform your e-mail is more difficult but most ISP's and/or mail clients have some sort of blocking or 'mark as Spam' setting.

It often depends on:

1. How long you've had your email address. The longer you have, the greater the chance someone who has that email address in their address book (including companies and organisations you legitimately deal with) gets hacked and your email address passed to some very undesirable people.

2. Certain types of email address attract spam and phishing emails more than others. Dot Com ones do so more than dot co dot uk ones, for example.

3. The time of year. There's always more spam/phishing attempts around Christmas and New Year because people are spending money on presents, holidays, cars, etc, etc and thus may not realise an email isn't genuine in the rush (which is what the nasty pieces of work are banking on).

4. The actual body of the email address. Common names, even with numbers (e.g. Joebloggs66) are very susceptible to the email spammer equivalent of autodialers for phones, as they'll try every Joebloggs from 1 to 1000.

I've got an old hotmail.com email address that I started way back in the last 90s, before Microsoft bought that firm (and .co.uk versions were possible) and integrated into their own with all the Outlook.coms and co.uk addresses. As such, and because BOTH Microsoft (yes) and Currys/PC World got hacked, that email address found its way into the hands of these oiks.

As a result, I now regular receive 10+ spam/phishing emails a day 9similar type to yours) at this time of year, sometimes threatening ones saying they'll release dodgy webcam videos of me to my friends and family unless I pay them $1000 or whatever.

I know this to be a fake (and that they likely only have the email address and nothing else) as I a) have never owned a webcam and don't have a laptop (with one integrated) and b) was informed quickly about the breaches and changed my password for the account. I'll probably change the email address when I can get around to it.

I find that setting up the account's spam filters (whether on a website-based email service like Hotmail/Outlook.com [not the best I admit] or GMail or via the actual MS-Outlook desktop program) is the best way of reducing such emails, and at least getting the vast, vast majority to go into the spam folder.

Whitelisting and blacklisting (blocking) both specific (prolific) spammer/phishing email addresses and especially domains is the way. It can take time to initially set up, and you have to update it periodically, but it can reduce the work needed to keep the undisirables out and not get legit emails deleted by mistake.

TBH, emptying my spam box is just one of those things we may unfortunately have to get used to. Stay vigilant to not let anything dodgy that looks legit get through - some are far better at disguising themselves than others. I'd always be wary of emails with attachments, especially puproting to be from firms/organisations who'd never send such stuff to you.

Best of luck mate.

Edited by Engineer Andy on 13/01/2020 at 20:08