Do spam traps open and click emails?

Key findings

• Automated Engagement: Some spam traps are programmed to open and click emails automatically to gather more data on sender practices and content. This can artificially inflate engagement metrics.
• Operator Interaction: Operators of spam traps, or their volunteers, may manually open or click messages to analyze the content and sender behavior, especially for new or persistent spam campaigns.
• Detection Difficulty: When spam traps engage, they often do so in a manner designed to be difficult for senders to detect, making it challenging to differentiate genuine engagement from trap activity. For more on how to identify these, see our guide on how to identify email spam traps.
• Varying Types: Not all spam traps behave the same way. The behavior depends on the type of spam trap (e.g., pristine, recycled, typo) and the organization operating it.
• Conflicting Information: Some sources indicate that spam traps are entirely passive and do not engage, while others confirm they do, highlighting the evolving nature of spam trap technology.

Key considerations

• Engagement Metrics: Do not rely solely on open and click rates to identify spam traps, as their engagement can sometimes mask their presence. Sudden drops in these metrics can also be an indicator, as discussed by Higher Logic.
• Focus on Acquisition: The most effective way to avoid spam traps, regardless of their engagement behavior, is to ensure robust, consent-based list acquisition practices. This includes using double opt-in for all subscribers.
• Data-Driven Hygiene: Implement continuous list hygiene practices to identify and remove unengaged subscribers, which helps indirectly remove dormant spam traps. Our guide on spam traps: what they are and how they work provides more detail.
• Root Cause: Hitting spam traps is often a symptom of underlying poor sending practices, rather than the primary cause of deliverability issues. Fixing acquisition and engagement issues is paramount.

Key opinions

• Mixed Experiences: Marketers report varied experiences, with some observing engagement from spam traps (often from specific anti-spam filters like Barracuda) while others generally find them to be non-engaging.
• Engagement Misleading: It is recognized that spam traps almost never click links, suggesting that any perceived engagement should be treated with skepticism.
• Double Opt-in Issues: Even with double opt-in processes, marketers can still hit spam traps, which indicates that the problem may stem from other factors like fraudulent sign-ups or list hygiene. For more information, check out why you might hit spam traps with double opt-in.
• List Size Concern: Large lists, particularly for niche content like blogs, are often viewed with suspicion regarding their acquisition methods if spam trap issues arise.

Key considerations

• Evaluate Acquisition: Marketers must critically evaluate their email acquisition methods to prevent spam traps from entering the list, even if they appear to engage. This often involves reviewing sign-up forms and consent processes.
• Don't Rely on Engagement: It is crucial not to rely on opens or clicks as a reliable indicator of a spam trap. Engagement from these addresses can be artificial and should not influence list cleaning decisions based on genuine subscriber activity.
• Proactive Hygiene: Regularly cleaning email lists based on non-engagement over a prolonged period is a robust strategy to minimize spam trap hits, regardless of whether they open or click.
• Address Root Causes: If blocklisted due to spam traps, the focus should be on identifying and rectifying the underlying practices that led to their presence, rather than simply removing the traps. This aligns with advice on why emails go to spam.

Key opinions

• Automated Engagement Confirmed: Experts confirm that some spam traps do indeed open and click in an automated fashion, making their presence hard to detect purely through engagement metrics.
• Correlation, Not Causation: Hitting spam traps correlates with bad delivery, but it is not the direct cause. Instead, poor practices like lack of consent or bad data acquisition are the root issues that lead to both spam trap hits and deliverability problems. Our guide explains the different types of spam traps.
• Hygiene Beyond Removal: Effective list hygiene aims to establish recipients who want mail and remove those who provide no value, which may remove most spam traps but is not the sole goal. Removing traps without fixing practices is ineffective.
• Spamhaus and Double Opt-in: Spamhaus (a major blocklist provider) generally will not confirm subscriptions for double opt-in emails, meaning if a double opt-in list is hitting their traps, there's a significant underlying issue with the list or acquisition process.
• Barracuda Behavior: Some security systems, like Barracuda, are known to open and click emails, even if they are not considered traditional spam traps. This behavior can lead to false positives in engagement metrics. More on Barracuda in our article on Barracuda spam filter clicks.

Key considerations

• Verify Acquisition Practices: Experts advise that if a client claims a clean, double opt-in list is hitting traps, it is crucial to investigate their acquisition methods thoroughly, as misrepresentations are common.
• Understand Blocklist Triggers: Distinguish between IP-based (SBL) and domain-based blocklistings. SBL listings are often clearer indicators of direct network issues, while domain listings might involve third-party activities like co-registration or affiliates using the client's domain. Understanding what happens when your domain is blocklisted is essential.
• Proactive Client Management: Email service providers must work with clients to stop sending unwanted email. If clients continue bad practices, discontinuing service might be necessary to protect overall sender reputation.
• Prioritize Issues: When addressing multiple blocklist issues, prioritize SBL listings due to the clear link to network activity, then investigate domain-based listings for external factors. For more on Spamhaus and its role in email deliverability, check external resources.

Key findings

• Identification Tool: Spam traps are primarily used by ISPs and anti-spam organizations to identify senders who are not following email best practices or are sending unsolicited messages. Klaviyo Help Center provides a detailed explanation.
• Passive Nature: Many documentation sources imply that spam traps are typically passive, meaning they do not generate opens, clicks, or other user engagement data.
• Indicator of Poor Quality: Even without direct engagement, hitting a spam trap is a strong signal of a low-quality list or questionable acquisition practices, which can severely impact sender reputation and deliverability. Learn more about how email blacklists work.
• Designed Not to Engage: Documentation often emphasizes that spam traps are designed to receive emails without human interaction or conventional engagement, making them distinct from active subscriber addresses.

Key considerations

• Prioritize List Hygiene: Documentation consistently advises regular list cleaning and re-engagement campaigns to remove inactive subscribers, thereby reducing the likelihood of hitting recycled spam traps. Our page on email list cleaning services is relevant here.
• Strict Consent: Adhering to strict, explicit consent (like double opt-in) for all new subscribers is the most reliable defense against pristine spam traps, which are never genuinely subscribed addresses. Mailchimp's guide on about spam traps covers this.
• Monitoring: Monitor delivery and bounce rates for sudden changes, as these are more reliable indicators of hitting spam traps than fluctuating open or click rates. This helps in understanding your email domain reputation.