Phishing vs Spam: What Is the Difference?
Spam is unwanted marketing; phishing is deception designed to steal. How to tell them apart, why the difference matters, and how to handle each in your inbox.
Your inbox fills with messages you did not ask for. Some are just annoying adverts; others are attempts to steal your password or money. Both are unwanted, but they are different problems, and handling them correctly keeps you safer.
The difference
| Spam | Phishing | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Sell something or get attention | Steal passwords, money, data or access |
| Honesty | Usually says who it is from | Pretends to be someone you trust |
| Request | Buy, visit, subscribe | Sign in, pay, share a code, open a file |
| Risk | Annoyance, sometimes scams | Account takeover, fraud, malware |
How to handle each
Spam
- Mark it as spam or junk so filters learn.
- Unsubscribe only from companies you recognise.
- Use email aliases for sign-ups. See email aliases.
Phishing
- Do not click links or open attachments.
- Use "Report phishing" in your email app, or your organization's report button.
- In the UK, you can forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk.
- If you already clicked or entered details, act quickly. See clicked a phishing link.
When in doubt, treat it as phishing. Reporting a spam message as phishing does little harm; clicking a phishing link can do a lot.
Not sure which it is? Paste it into CyberWatch AI Scan for a free check.
For more, read our complete guide to phishing.
Frequently asked questions
Is all spam harmless?
Most spam is just annoying, but some spam leads to scams, fake products or malware. Treat unknown senders with caution.
Should I unsubscribe from spam?
For genuine marketing from companies you know, unsubscribing is fine. For suspicious spam, do not click unsubscribe; mark it as spam instead.
Which button should I use?
Use 'Report phishing' for messages impersonating someone to steal information, and 'Report spam' or 'Junk' for unwanted marketing.
Sources
- How To Get Less Spam in Your Email, US Federal Trade Commission
- Avoid and report phishing emails, Gmail Help
- Report a scam email, UK National Cyber Security Centre
