E-mail suspected of spam - can I open it?
If an email lands in the "suspected spam" folder, it doesn't have to be a virus. But is opening the spam mail dangerous if it is a threat? We clarify it.
Open spam mail? You can deal with the emails in this way
Most mails in the spam folder are advertisements that have been automatically recognized as such and filtered out. But it can also just be emails from senders that you have blacklisted. The following generally applies:
- You can open mails in the spam folder without hesitation, since only the text version is displayed without graphics, encryption and hidden elements.
- However, if there is a link or an attachment in the mail, you should be extremely careful: First check who the sender of the mail is. If it is an e-mail address that you really know, the mail was probably only accidentally sorted into the spam folder.
- If you do not know the sender personally, a look at the mail provider will help: If the message comes from a company with its own address such as, the newsletter has probably been categorized as spam and can be marked as "no spam".
- If the address ending is strange, you should remove the mail. This also includes endings that include a prominent brand name such as @ apple-gewinnspiel.de. If in doubt, you should delete the email or call customer service before opening links or attachments.
- Caution should also be used when attaching files in Word format: Macro viruses can be found in the document settings. PDF is more secure. You should also not download and open attachments with multiple extensions such as name.pdf.exe.
- Tip: In this practical tip on the topic, we will give you more tips on how to recognize "real" spam.
Note: The rule of thumb "No download without virus scan" also applies when downloading file attachments. In our large virus scanner check, we reveal the best security programs.