Account Security Problems

How to Reduce Scam and Phishing Emails in Outlook

Amos Gikunda Oct 10, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to reduce or stop receiving daily scam and phishing emails in their Outlook or Hotmail inbox.

How to Reduce Scam and Phishing Emails in Outlook

Product: Microsoft Outlook
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: The user's email address has been exposed, leading to a sudden influx of spam messages despite years of normal use.
Observed behavior: The inbox is flooded with several scam or phishing messages every day, and simply changing the password does not resolve the issue.

Before you start

Before adjusting your spam settings, avoid clicking any links or opening attachments in suspicious emails to protect your account and device from malware.

Solution 1Recommended

Increase Junk Email Protection Level

Change the built-in Outlook settings to filter out a higher volume of unsolicited emails automatically.

By default, Outlook's spam filter provides basic protection. If your email address has been exposed, increasing the protection level helps move more suspicious messages directly to the Junk Email folder.

Navigate to the Home tab

Open Microsoft Outlook and make sure you are in the Mail view, then click on the 'Home' tab on the ribbon.

Access Junk Options

In the Delete group, click the 'Junk' dropdown menu and select 'Junk Email Options'.

Select protection level

Under the Options tab, choose a higher protection level, such as 'High', to catch more spam. Click 'Apply' and then 'OK' to save your changes.

Solution 2

Report Phishing and Block Repeat Senders

Train your email filter by reporting malicious emails and blocking specific senders rather than just deleting them.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why am I suddenly getting so many spam emails in Outlook?

This usually happens if your email address was exposed in a data breach, signed up for suspicious services, or scraped by spammers online. Changing your password secures your account but won't stop the spam, which is why you must increase your junk filters.

Should I reply to a phishing email or click unsubscribe?

No, you should never reply to scam or phishing emails, nor should you click the 'unsubscribe' links inside them. Interacting with these emails confirms to the scammer that your email address is active, which will result in even more spam.

How do I review my Blocked and Safe Senders list in Outlook?

Go to Home > Delete > Junk > Junk Email Options. From there, navigate to the 'Safe Senders' or 'Blocked Senders' tabs to manually add, edit, or remove specific email addresses or entire domain names.

Microsoft Office Security Issues