What is spam?

Spam is unsolicited or unwanted email sent without permission and often without legitimate purpose. This includes deceptive, harmful, or low quality bulk sending.

The term "spam" comes from a 1970 Monty Python sketch in which Vikings chant "spam, spam, spam" loudly and repeatedly, drowning out conversation. The analogy fits perfectly. Spam is the equivalent of pirate ships flooding the sea lanes. Mailbox providers deploy advanced filtering to identify and block it in order to protect users and preserve trust.