Why am I receiving event confirmation emails for events I didn't sign up for?
Michael Ko
Co-founder & CEO, Suped
Published 10 May 2025
Updated 16 Aug 2025
7 min read
It can be confusing and even alarming to suddenly receive event confirmation emails for events you never signed up for. One moment your inbox is normal, and the next, it's flooded with tickets and itineraries for gatherings you know nothing about. This unexpected influx raises questions about your online security and how your email address ended up on these lists.
This situation is more common than you might think and can stem from various sources, ranging from harmless mistakes to more concerning malicious activities. Understanding the root cause is the first step in addressing the issue and protecting your digital footprint.
How your email address ends up on event lists
One of the most frequent reasons for receiving unsolicited event confirmations is an accidental typo during registration. Someone intending to sign up for an event might have simply entered your email address by mistake, especially if your address is similar to theirs or is a common format. Event platforms, like Eventbrite, will send confirmations to the address provided, regardless of whether it's the registrant's actual email.
Another possibility is that your email address was obtained through less scrupulous means, such as list purchasing or email harvesting. Event organizers, particularly those involved in B2B events, might acquire email lists from third-party vendors. If your email was on one of these lists, you could receive event invitations and confirmations without ever having explicitly opted in. Similarly, publicly available email addresses, for example, those listed on company websites, can be scraped or harvested from the internet, making them susceptible to unsolicited communications.
In more malicious scenarios, your email address might be used for a form of harassment, sometimes referred to as a subscription bomb. This involves someone intentionally signing your email up for numerous services or events to overwhelm your inbox and cause disruption. This can also be a tactic to distract you from more serious security breaches occurring elsewhere, making it crucial to stay vigilant. While less frequent for event confirmations, it is a possibility.
Identifying the nature of the unsolicited emails
When you receive an event confirmation email you didn't expect, it's important to assess its nature. Is it a legitimate confirmation from a known platform, or does it seem like a phishing attempt? Legitimate platforms, even if the registration was a mistake, will usually include clear event details, official branding (though this can be spoofed), and an option to cancel or modify the registration.
Phishing emails, on the other hand, often contain suspicious links, generic greetings, spelling errors, or a sense of urgency urging you to click immediately. They might try to trick you into revealing personal information or downloading malware. Always hover over links before clicking to check their destination, and be wary of requests for sensitive data.
If it seems like a genuine, albeit mistaken, registration, you often have options to address it directly. Some platforms offer an unsubscribe link for event notifications or a way to contact the organizer to cancel the erroneous registration. For instance, the Microsoft Learn community discusses these scenarios. However, if it's a phishing attempt, mark it as spam and delete it without engaging.
Impact on senders and recipients
Receiving these unexpected emails can certainly be an annoyance for recipients, cluttering your inbox and wasting your time. While a few emails might not seem like a big deal, a sudden increase can be distracting and make you miss important legitimate messages. If you're experiencing a spike in unwanted emails, it's worth investigating.
For the senders of these emails, even if the registration was a genuine mistake by a user, it can still pose a risk to their sender reputation. High bounce rates from non-existent or incorrect email addresses, or a rise in spam complaints from annoyed recipients, can signal to ISPs that something is wrong. This can lead to their emails being flagged as spam for all recipients, impacting their legitimate communication efforts.
Email service providers (ESPs) and internet service providers (ISPs) often struggle to effectively filter out low-volume, yet persistent, B2B spam like these mistaken event registrations. The volume is often too low to trigger their large-scale spam detection systems, yet it's enough to be a nuisance. This makes it challenging for them to justify taking immediate action, meaning these types of emails can continue to slip through.
What you can do as a recipient
If you find yourself repeatedly receiving these unsolicited emails, there are several steps you can take to mitigate the issue. First, always check the sender's domain and the email content for any red flags, as mentioned earlier, to rule out phishing attempts. If it appears legitimate but unwanted, look for a clear unsubscribe link. Reputable event platforms typically provide a way to opt out of future communications related to that specific event or organizer.
For recurring issues, especially if you suspect your email is being intentionally misused, consider contacting the event platform's support directly. They might be able to investigate the source of the registration and remove your email from their system, or at least provide guidance. It's also wise to ensure your own email account is secure and that your email authentication records like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC are properly configured for your own domain to prevent others from spoofing your email address.
If you notice a sudden influx of unwanted signups that resemble a bot attack, consider implementing CAPTCHAs or double opt-in processes on your own forms, if applicable. These measures add a layer of verification, reducing the likelihood of automated sign-ups using fake or third-party email addresses, thereby helping to protect your sender reputation from fraudulent interactions.
Views from the trenches
Best practices
Always include a prominent and functional unsubscribe link in all your event confirmation emails to comply with regulations and provide recipients with control.
Implement double opt-in for event registrations to verify email addresses and ensure genuine consent from attendees.
Regularly monitor your email lists for high bounce rates or spam complaints, which can indicate issues with list quality or abuse.
Educate your event attendees on how to handle legitimate confirmation emails to avoid misfiling or marking them as spam.
Common pitfalls
Relying on purchased or scraped email lists for event invitations, which often contain invalid or unwilling recipients.
Not having a clear process for handling erroneous or mistaken registrations, leading to recipient frustration.
Failing to monitor email deliverability metrics, which could mask underlying issues like email list abuse or accidental typos.
Ignoring feedback from recipients who report receiving unwanted event confirmations.
Expert tips
Use email validation services before sending out large volumes of event invitations to minimize bounces from invalid addresses.
Segment your audience appropriately to ensure event invitations are relevant to those receiving them.
Maintain strong sender authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) to prevent spoofing of your domain for fraudulent registrations.
Periodically review your registration forms for any vulnerabilities that could be exploited by bots or malicious actors.
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says it is a fairly common occurrence for event creators to upload lists without recipient consent, leading to unsolicited event emails.
2022-01-21 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Marketer from Email Geeks says that email addresses might be acquired through purchasing lists or harvesting them from websites.
2022-01-21 - Email Geeks
Managing unsolicited event confirmations
Receiving event confirmation emails for events you didn't sign up for is a frustrating, but manageable, issue. By understanding the common reasons behind it, such as accidental typos, list acquisition, or even intentional harassment, you can better identify the nature of the email.
Taking proactive steps like checking for unsubscribe options, reporting suspicious emails, and ensuring your own email security practices are robust can help minimize these unwanted interruptions. For businesses, maintaining clean email lists and implementing strong authentication protocols are essential to prevent their domains from being misused for unsolicited registrations. Always prioritize your email security and manage your inbox with a critical eye to keep it free from unwanted clutter.
