Block referrer spam email

The pesky referrer spam emails!

Referrer spam emails are a type of spam email that is sent to a website's contact email address, usually through a form or a comment section, with the intention of promoting a third-party website or service. These emails often contain links, keywords, or other suspicious content.

To block referrer spam emails, you can try the following methods:

  1. Use a spam filter: Most email providers, such as Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo, have built-in spam filters that can help block referrer spam emails. You can also use third-party spam filters like SpamAssassin or SpamSieve.
  2. Use a contact form plugin with anti-spam features: If you're using a contact form plugin on your website, look for one that has anti-spam features, such as reCAPTCHA, Akismet, or Google reCAPTCHA. These plugins can help block suspicious submissions.
  3. Use a website comment plugin with anti-spam features: If you're using a website comment plugin, look for one that has anti-spam features, such as Akismet or Disqus. These plugins can help block suspicious comments.
  4. Use a referrer spam blocking service: There are several services that specialize in blocking referrer spam emails, such as Referrer Spam Blocker, SpamSieve, or SpamAssassin.
  5. Use a DNS-based solution: You can use a DNS-based solution like DNSBL (Domain Name System Blackhole) or RBL (Real-time Blackhole List) to block referrer spam emails. These services maintain lists of known spamming IP addresses and can be used to block emails from these IP addresses.
  6. Use a web application firewall (WAF): A WAF can help block referrer spam emails by analyzing traffic patterns and blocking suspicious requests.
  7. Monitor your website's contact form and comment section: Regularly monitor your website's contact form and comment section for suspicious activity and delete any spam emails or comments you find.
  8. Use a plugin like WP-SpamShield: WP-SpamShield is a WordPress plugin that can help block referrer spam emails by analyzing the IP address and user agent of the sender.
  9. Use a plugin like Spam Free WordPress: Spam Free WordPress is a WordPress plugin that can help block referrer spam emails by analyzing the IP address and user agent of the sender.
  10. Report spam emails to your email provider: If you do receive a referrer spam email, report it to your email provider as spam. This can help your provider's algorithms learn to recognize and block similar emails in the future.

Remember, no method is foolproof, and referrer spam emails can still get through. However, by using a combination of these methods, you can significantly reduce the number of referrer spam emails you receive.