Spam traps – what they are, how to avoid them, and what to do if you are caught in one

Spam traps – sometimes referred to as honeypots – play an important role in stopping unwanted emails. These email addresses aren’t meant for communication; they’re designed to catch spammers. If your emails land in these traps, it signals that you might not be following best practices.

Spam traps can seriously affect your ability to reach your audience. Sending an email to one can damage your sender reputation, making it less likely that your emails will land in subscribers’ inboxes.

In this article, you’ll learn how spam traps are created, how to avoid them, and what to do if the damage has already been done. Let’s get started!

How do spam traps work?

Spam traps act as silent sentinels within the email ecosystem. They help identify and block spammers, ensuring that only legitimate emails reach users’ inboxes.

You shouldn’t fear spam traps if you’re following email marketing best practices. They are not your enemy; they ensure that only those who adhere to proper email collection and list maintenance practices can reach their audience. However, understanding how these traps work and their role in maintaining a healthy email ecosystem is essential for anyone involved in email marketing.

Types of spam traps

Spam traps function by using specially created or repurposed email addresses that serve no legitimate purpose other than to catch spammers. There are two main types of spam traps: pristine and recycled. Each type serves a specific purpose and operates in unique ways to detect and deter spam. 

Pristine spam traps

Pristine spam traps are email addresses created solely to catch spammers. These addresses have never been used by real people and are not meant for any legitimate email communication. Instead, these traps are created by Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and email security companies to identify senders who do not follow proper email collection practices.

You’ll find these traps strategically placed on websites and online forums where only automated email harvesters, not real users, would come across them. If you send an email to one of these addresses, it shows you might be using bad practices like web scraping or buying email lists to gather email addresses.

Recycled spam traps

Recycled spam traps, also known as repurposed traps, are old email addresses that were once active but have been abandoned. After a period of inactivity, ISPs and email security companies turn these addresses into spam traps. The main goal is to catch senders who keep emailing outdated or invalid addresses, showing poor list maintenance.

These traps were once used legitimately but became inactive over time. When an email address is marked as inactive, it gets repurposed to detect spam. If you send emails to these addresses, it suggests you’re not regularly updating or cleaning your email lists. This can indicate issues like outdated databases.

Mechanism of identifying and trapping spammers

1. Placement of spam traps: Pristine spam traps are strategically placed on websites or embedded in public web pages where only automated email harvesters are likely to find them. Recycled spam traps, on the other hand, remain in databases and lists, waiting to catch senders who fail to clean their email lists.
2. Email reception: When a spam trap email address receives a message, it flags the sender.
3. Sender analysis: The system analyzes the sender’s information, including IP address, domain reputation, and email content.
4. Pattern recognition: ISPs and email security companies look for patterns in the sending behavior. This includes the frequency of emails, the similarity of messages, and the diversity of recipient addresses.
5. Blacklist updates: If the sender is identified as a spammer, their IP address or domain is added to blacklists. This prevents future emails from reaching users’ inboxes.
6. Feedback loops: Some systems provide feedback to email service providers about which addresses are spam traps. This helps improve email list hygiene over time.

By following these steps, spam traps efficiently identify spammers and help prevent spam from cluttering inboxes.

Role in maintaining email ecosystem health

Spam traps play an important role in maintaining the health and integrity of the email ecosystem. They help ensure that email remains a reliable and effective communication tool. 

1. Enhancing deliverability: By identifying and blocking spammers, spam traps help improve the overall deliverability of legitimate emails. This ensures that important messages are not lost in the flood of spam.
2. Protecting users: Spam traps help protect users from unwanted and potentially harmful emails. This includes phishing attempts, malware, and other malicious content.
3. Encouraging best practices: The presence of spam traps encourages email marketers to follow best practices. This includes obtaining proper consent, maintaining clean email lists, and regularly updating recipient information.
4. Improving email quality: By filtering out spam, the overall quality of emails that reach users improves. This leads to a better user experience and higher engagement rates.
5. Supporting ISPs and security firms: Spam traps provide ISPs and email security companies with valuable data. This helps them refine their filtering algorithms and enhance their spam detection capabilities.

Why should I avoid spam traps?

Spam traps can have significant consequences for marketers and businesses. Understanding these impacts can help you maintain a clean email list and protect your sender reputation.

1. Blacklisting: If you hit a spam trap, ISPs and email security companies might add your IP address or domain to a blacklist. This prevents your future emails from reaching recipients.
2. Reduced deliverability: Being blacklisted means your emails are often blocked or sent to spam folders, making it harder to reach your intended audience.
3. Reputation damage: Hitting a spam trap hurts your sender reputation. ISPs track this reputation to decide how to handle your emails. A poor reputation can lead to lower deliverability rates.
4. Financial loss: When your deliverability drops, you lose potential sales and opportunities. You might end up spending more on email campaigns without seeing a good return on investment.
5. Increased scrutiny: Once you’re flagged as a potential spammer, ISPs will scrutinize your future emails more closely, further impacting your deliverability.

How can a spam trap wind up on my email list?

Even with the best intentions and practices, spam traps can sometimes find their way onto legitimate email lists. Understanding how this happens can help you take preventative measures and maintain a clean, healthy email list. Here are some common ways spam traps can end up on your list.

Purchased or rented lists

One of the most common ways spam traps infiltrate lists is through the purchase or rental of email lists. These lists are often compiled from various sources, including public databases and websites, and may contain spam traps intentionally placed by ISPs or email security companies. Even if the list appears legitimate, you should always avoid using purchased or rented lists, as they can significantly increase the risk of spam traps.

Migrating from another ESP

Another common situation where we see our customers encounter the spam trap issue is during the migration process. When you migrate from one ESP to another, you risk carrying over inactive or outdated email addresses that the previous ESP did not filter out and included in the file you exported.

Importing contacts from mailboxes

If you’ve previously not used an ESP but sent emails directly from tools like Gmail or Outlook instead, you also might encounter spam traps. This usually happens if you’re moving all the contacts you’ve previously interacted with and haven’t checked if they’re still active and haven’t been turned into spam traps.

Publicly available email addresses

Scraping publicly available email addresses from websites, forums, and social media can inadvertently collect spam traps. These addresses are often planted by ISPs and email security companies to catch spammers who harvest emails from public sources. 

Typo errors and fake submissions

Spam traps can also end up on your list due to simple human errors or malicious intent. Typo errors occur when users accidentally enter incorrect email addresses that may happen to be spam traps. Additionally, fake submissions can occur when individuals intentionally enter invalid or non-existent email addresses into your sign-up forms.

Bot attacks and automated submissions

Bot attacks and automated submissions can also introduce spam traps to your email list. Bots can fill out sign-up forms with invalid or random email addresses, some of which may be spam traps. 

Inactive subscriber lists

Failing to regularly clean and update your email list can lead to the accumulation of inactive subscribers. Some of these inactive email addresses may have been converted into spam traps over time. 

How to avoid sending emails to spam traps?

Avoiding spam traps is crucial for maintaining a good sender reputation and ensuring your emails reach your audience. Here’s how you can do that:

Maintain good list hygiene

Always collect email addresses through legitimate means. Don’t buy email lists; they often contain spam traps. Regularly auditing your email list to remove invalid or inactive addresses is essential. Monitor your bounce rates and promptly remove hard bounces. By keeping your list clean, you reduce the chances of hitting a spam trap and improve your email deliverability.

Segment by engagement

Target your emails based on user engagement. Sending specific content to engaged users improves overall email performance and reduces the risk of hitting spam traps. Consider implementing a sunsetting policy, where you remove subscribers who haven’t engaged with your emails for a certain period. This way, you focus on active users and minimize the risk of outdated addresses becoming spam traps.

Use permission-based marketing

Ensure all your subscribers have explicitly opted in to receive your emails. A clear and straightforward sign-up process helps build trust and compliance with regulations like GDPR and CAN-SPAM. Always provide an easy way for subscribers to opt out or manage their preferences. This approach not only reduces the risk of spam complaints but also enhances your sender reputation by demonstrating respect for your subscribers’ choices.

Consider implementing double opt-in

Double opt-in processes ensure that each email address added to your list is valid and belongs to an engaged user. When someone subscribes, they receive a confirmation email with a link to verify their address. This extra step reduces the risk of adding spam traps or fake email addresses to your list. While it may slightly reduce immediate sign-ups, the quality and engagement of your email list will significantly improve.

Regularly clean your email list

Set a schedule to review and clean your email list. Remove addresses that consistently bounce or show no engagement. Track engagement metrics like open rates, click-through rates, and conversion rates. If you find inactive users, design re-engagement campaigns to win them back. Offer incentives, seek feedback, or remind them of the value they receive from your emails. If they remain unresponsive, consider removing them from your list to maintain its quality.

What should I do if I accidentally hit a spam trap?

Being caught in a spam trap can be a significant setback for any email marketing campaign. However, with immediate actions and long-term strategies, you can recover and restore your sender reputation. Here’s a detailed guide on how to respond if you find yourself in this situation.

Immediate actions to take

1. Identify the problem: As soon as you suspect or are notified that you’ve hit a spam trap, stop all email sends. Continuing to send emails can worsen the problem and further damage your reputation. Use your email service provider’s tools or third-party services to identify which emails or lists are problematic.
2. Audit your email list: Conduct a thorough audit of your email list to identify and remove any suspicious or unengaged email addresses. Look for patterns in the data to pinpoint which segment of your list might have triggered the spam trap. Remove any addresses that look suspicious or are not engaging with your emails.
3. Check email content: Review the content of the emails that were sent before the spam trap hit. Ensure that your content is compliant with best practices and does not include elements that could be flagged as spam, such as excessive use of promotional language or deceptive subject lines.
4. Consult with your email service provider: Contact your email service provider for insights and support. They can often provide detailed logs and analytics to help identify the source of the problem. They may also offer advice on immediate steps to mitigate the issue.
5. Pause campaigns: Temporarily pause your email marketing campaigns to prevent further damage. Use this time to clean your list and ensure that all remaining addresses are verified and engaged.

Long-term strategies for recovery

1. Implement double opt-in: Going forward, consider using a double opt-in process for all new subscribers. This ensures that all email addresses are valid and that subscribers genuinely want to receive your emails. It also helps build a more engaged and responsive email list.
2. Regular list cleaning: Establish a routine for regularly cleaning your email list. This includes removing inactive subscribers, correcting typos, and verifying email addresses. Use automated tools to help with this process and maintain a clean list.
3. Monitor engagement metrics: Continuously monitor key engagement metrics like open rates, click-through rates, bounce rates, and spam complaints. Low engagement can be an indicator of potential issues with your list. Act quickly to address any anomalies.
4. Segmentation and personalization: Segment your email list based on user behavior and preferences. Personalize your emails to make them more relevant to each segment. This can improve engagement and reduce the likelihood of your emails being marked as spam.
5. Re-engagement campaigns: Run re-engagement campaigns for inactive subscribers. Send targeted emails asking if they still want to receive your content. If they do not respond, consider removing them from your active list.

How to communicate with ISPs and email service providers

1. Gather evidence: Before contacting ISPs or your email service provider, gather all relevant evidence. This includes email logs, engagement metrics, and any other data that shows your compliance with best practices. Be prepared to explain what steps you have taken to address the issue.
2. Be transparent: When communicating with ISPs or your email service provider, be honest and transparent about the situation. Explain what happened, what you believe caused the issue, and what steps you are taking to prevent it from happening again.
3. Request assistance: Ask for their assistance in resolving the issue. ISPs and email service providers often have tools and resources that can help you improve your email practices and avoid spam traps in the future. They may also offer guidance on specific steps to take to get your emails delivered again.
4. Follow best practices: Ensure that you are following all recommended best practices for email marketing. This includes using permission-based marketing, maintaining clean email lists, and sending relevant and engaging content. Communicate these practices to ISPs and your email service provider to demonstrate your commitment to quality.
5. Document your actions: Keep a detailed record of all actions you take to address the spam trap issue. This documentation can be useful when communicating with ISPs and email service providers, as it shows that you are taking the issue seriously and are committed to resolving it.
6. Stay patient and persistent: Recovering from a spam trap hit can take time. Be patient and persistent in your efforts to clean your list and improve your email practices. 

Final words

There you have it! By implementing these best practices, you can effectively avoid spam traps and maintain a strong sender reputation. Regularly clean your email lists and ensure your email collection methods are legitimate. If you do hit a spam trap, take immediate corrective actions and consult with your email service provider to mitigate the damage. 

Happy emailing, and may your campaigns always reach the right inboxes!