Spam emails from website contact forms can be a major problem for businesses and organizations, not only do they clog up your inbox but also can be a security issue. Here are some tips to help reduce the amount of spam emails you receive from your website contact form.
- Use a CAPTCHA: A CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) is a simple test that helps to ensure that the person filling out the form is human and not a spam bot. The most common type of CAPTCHA is a simple image with distorted text that the user must enter correctly before the form can be submitted.
- Use reCAPTCHA: Google’s reCAPTCHA is a free service that uses advanced risk analysis techniques to tell human and bots apart. It’s an easy way to add security to your website contact form.
- Use a spam filter: Spam filters are software that can automatically identify and delete spam emails from your inbox. Many email providers, such as Gmail, have built-in spam filters that can be configured to meet your specific needs.
- Validate email addresses: Email validation ensures that the email address provided by the user is valid and exists. Email validation can be done using a simple script or by using a third-party service.
- Limit the number of form fields: The more fields you have on your contact form, the more data a spam bot can collect, so try to limit the number of fields on your form.
- Use a double opt-in process: A double opt-in process requires that users confirm their email address before they can submit the form. This helps to ensure that the email address provided is valid and that the user wants to receive emails from your organization.
- Use honeypot: It’s a technique of adding hidden fields in your contact form that are invisible to humans but can be seen by bots. The idea is that if a bot fills out the hidden field, it’s a sign that the form submission is spam.
- Monitor your form submissions: Regularly check your form submissions for spam and take action if necessary. This can include deleting spam submissions and blocking the IP address of the spammer.
- Keep your website and contact form updated: It’s important to keep your website and contact form updated with the latest security patches and updates to protect against known vulnerabilities that spammers may exploit.
- Educate your users: It’s essential to educate your users about the dangers of spam and the importance of being cautious when providing personal information online.
In conclusion, spam emails from website contact forms can be a major problem for businesses and organizations, but by implementing the above tips, you can significantly reduce the amount of spam you receive. It’s also important to regularly monitor your form submissions and keep your website and contact form updated to ensure the security of your website.
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