Operation Senior Shield warns against clicking unsubscribe links

April 30, 2026

Press release from the Florida Department of Elder Affairs

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Spring cleaning often includes clearing out emails and messages. However, scammers take advantage of this by creating fake “unsubscribe” links.

Clicking “unsubscribe” on a scam message can confirm your contact information is active or lead to malicious websites.

Red Flags:

Emails from unknown senders with unsubscribe links
Messages asking you to confirm or update information
Suspicious or unfamiliar links
Messages that create urgency

Tips to Protect Yourself:

Do NOT click unsubscribe on messages from unknown senders
Delete suspicious messages instead
Only unsubscribe from companies you recognize
Manage subscriptions directly through official websites

How to Mark Suspicious Emails as Spam:

Marking a message as spam helps block future scams.

Open the email (do not click any links)
Look for a button or option that says “Report Spam” or “Mark as Junk”
This option is usually at the top of the email or in a menu
Click it to move the message to your spam or junk folder
This helps your email provider block similar messages in the future

If you are unsure, ask a trusted family member or contact your email provider for help.

Where to Report:

IC3: https://complaint.ic3.gov
National Elder Fraud Hotline: 833-372-8311
Florida Fraud Hotline: 1-800-962-2873
Identity Theft Resource Center: 888-400-5530 or www.idtheftcenter.org – You can speak with a trained advisor at no cost who will guide you through next steps.

This spring, clean out scams safely. Not every link is what it seems. Operation Senior Shield and the Florida Department of Elder Affairs are here to help you stay alert, informed, and protected.