Is It Illegal To Sign Someone Up For Emails

In What State Is Sending Unsolicited Email Illegal?

Spam email is one of those concepts that we all understand but have trouble defining in precise terms. Spam is not exactly a legal term, and there might be some confusion about whether it is considered legal or illegal in the United States. Since concepts overlap easily, it's worth exploring which emails break the law and which ones are just annoying. Whatever the type, you probably want to know how to stop receiving them .

Is It Legal to Send Unsolicited Emails ?

We hate to break it to you, but—yes, technically speaking, it is legal. Not everything is bad, though. The CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 listed strict regulations for commercial, unsolicited emails, and violation of those regulations can come at a high cost. Here's a list of requirements for spam to be considered legal:

It must be possible to opt out —The recipient must have a choice to stop the email onslaught. It can be just an Unsubscribe button or a request to email the sender to be removed from the mailing list
If the recipient opts out, the sender has ten days to obey
Legal emails cannot contain misleading or false header information
The email must include a physical address
The message must clearly state that it's an ad

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) website , each separate email that fails to meet these requirements can face a penalty of up to $43,280, or in some more serious cases, imprisonment.

Is Sending Spam Emails Illegal in Your State?

While 37 states in the U.S. have laws that deal with unsolicited electronic mail, most of those are preempted by the CAN-SPAM Act. The majority of state laws on this topic refer to fraudulent or commercial emails, and forbid misrepresenting, using someone's internet address without their permission, or mislabeling adult-oriented advertising.

State	Statute
Alaska	Alaska Stat. § 45.50.479
Arizona	Ariz. Rev. Stat. §§ 44-1372 et seq. , 44-7201 , -7202 , -7203 , -7204
Arkansas	Ark. Code §§ 5-41-205, 4-88-60 et seq.
California	Cal. Business & Professions Code §§ 17529-17529.9 , 17538.41, 17538.4 5, 22948, et seq.
Colorado	Colo. Rev. Stat. §§ 6-1-702.5, 18-5-308
Connecticut	Conn. Gen. Stat. § 53-451 , 52-570c
Delaware	Del. Code tit. 11 § 937 - 941
Florida	Fla. Stat. § 668.60 et seq.
Georgia	Ga. Code §§ 16-9-92, 16-9-100 to 109
Idaho	Idaho Code § 48-603E
Illinois	815 ILCS 511/1 et seq.
Indiana	Ind. Code § 24-5-22
Iowa	Iowa Code §§ 716A.1 to -.7
Kansas	Kan. Stat. § 50-6,107
Louisiana	La. Rev. Stat. §§ 14:73.1 , 14:73.6 , 51:2001 , 51:2002 , 51:2003, 51:2004
Maine	Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 10 § 1497
Maryland	Md. Crim. Code § 3-805.1
Michigan	Mich. Comp. Laws § 445.2501 et seq. , § 752.1061 to .1068 ( Child protection registry )
Minnesota	Minn. Stat. § 325F.694
Missouri	Mo. Rev. Stat. §§ 407.1123 , .1126 , .1129 , .1132
Nevada	Nev. Rev. Stat. §§ 205.492 , 205.511 to .513 , 41.705 to .735
New Mexico	N.M. Stat . §§ 57-12-23, -24
North Carolina	N.C. Gen. Stat. §§ 14-453 - 458 , 1-539.2A
North Dakota	N.D. Cent. Code § 51-27-01
Ohio	Ohio Rev. Code § 2307.64
Oklahoma	Okla. Stat. tit. 15 § 776.1 -776.7
Pennsylvania	73 Pa. Stat. 2250.1 to .8 ( 2002 Act 222, Unconsolidated Statutes )
Rhode Island	R.I. Gen. Laws §§ 6-47-2 , 11-52-1, 11-52-2, 11-52-4.1, 11-52-6
South Dakota	S.D. Codified Laws § 37-24-42 , 37-24-43 , 37-24-44 , 37-24-45 , 37-24-46 , 37-24-47 , 37-24-48
Tennessee	Tenn. Code §§ 47-18-2501, -2502, §§ 39-14-603 to -605
Texas	Texas Bus. & Com. Code Ann. § 321 .001 et seq.
Utah	Utah Code §§ 13-39-101, -102, -201, -202 ( Child protection registry )
Virginia	Va. Code §§ 18.2-152.3C1 , 18.2-152.4 , -152.12
Washington	Wash. Rev. Code §§ 19.190.010 to .110
West Virginia	W. Va. Code §§ 46A-6G1 to -6G5
Wisconsin	Wis. Stat. § 944.25
Wyoming	Wyo. Stat. §§ 40-12-401 to -404

DoNotPay Can Protect Your Inbox Regardless of the Legal Definition of Spam Email !

No matter the legal status of a specific email, if it's unsolicited or not useful, you probably don't want it in your inbox. Productivity is important, now more than ever, and separating the wheat from the chaff is not something to waste your time on. Unsubscribing from emails or reporting spam emails can help, but serious and dangerous spammers won't be so easy to beat.

With DoNotPay, you have a fast, safe, and convenient method to fight any email that doesn't belong in your inbox. The process to deal with spammers using DoNotPay is straightforward and foolproof, so you don't need to be a computer whiz to benefit from these simple steps:

Use DoNotPay's website in your web browser to set up your profile
Find Spam Collector and click on Get Protected
Provide the email address you use
Block each new spam email by forwarding it to spam@donotpay.com

It's as easy as that, and we haven't even reached the best part yet! Once you forward the spam email to us, your AI legal assistant will notify you whether there are any class actions against that specific spammer.

If there's a match, you can add your name to the list of the damaged parties. If the lawsuit goes in your favor, you may be entitled to compensation. Your earnings can go up to $500, depending on circumstances. Can you find a better way to exact some sweet spam email revenge ? We didn't think so.

In your DoNotPay dashboard, you will be able to track your earnings and investigations against corporations that stand behind those annoying emails that cluttered your inbox.

How to Prevent Getting Illegal Email s or Legal Bulk Email s?

You can never be too careful. Email scams and frauds abound, and while DoNotPay can help you protect yourself once they reach you, some general precautionary advice is in order:

Don't give out your email address like Halloween candy
Don't click on links that seem wrong
Learn how to block spam email on Android and Apple devices
Use disposable email addresses for websites you don't trust
Spell everything out when sharing your address to fool spambots (e.g., John DOT Doe AT gmail DOT com)

DoNotPay Can Keep Your Physical Mailbox Safe as Well

Regardless of how much you've digitalized your business and your household, the chances are that some important pieces of information will arrive in an old-fashioned envelope via snail mail. That's not the only thing that can end up in your inbox.

As much as your virtual inbox, your physical mailbox is probably plagued by spam advertising campaigns or letters from shady organizations requesting help and donations. It's become our habit to quickly dispose of that junk, even without looking, so important papers may disappear in the depths of your trash can.

That problem won't happen to you if you use DoNotPay to minimize spam that comes in print. The process is not complex by any means:

Take a photo of the spam mail
Log in to your DoNotPay account
Select DoNotMail
Upload your photos

Not only will you keep your mailbox decluttered, but you will also help save the planet by limiting the amount of paper waste!

Let DoNotPay Help You With Other Issues!

Now that you know how to stop spam emails with DoNotPay, why not explore how your pocket robot lawyer can help with some other issues? Our impressive portfolio includes solutions to various violations of your rights as a consumer. Many legal and administrative issues devour unnecessary time, money, and energy. Many people don't even know how to begin to solve them. They get entangled in the intricacies of our legal system and give up.

Are you experiencing harassing phone calls from your ex ? Do you need to request a chargeback but don't know how? Are you thinking about reporting email abuse or cyberstalking , but you're not sure what the process entails? DoNotPay has answers to all those questions and more.

Jump on the bandwagon of easy and efficient legal help that our app can provide. Get those problems fixed today by creating your profile in any web browser . You'll be surprised by all the things DoNotPay can help you with:

Getting refunds for delayed or canceled flights
Canceling subscriptions or memberships
Disputing traffic tickets
Jumping the phone queue when calling customer support
Fighting speeding tickets
Getting revenge on robocalls
Suing people and companies in small claims court
Getting a DMV appointment fast and easy
Dealing with issues with credit cards
Freeing yourself from spam mail forever
Challenging parking tickets
Dealing with bills you are unable to pay
Protecting yourself from stalking and harassment
Getting refunds from various companies

Want your issue solved now?