Identify phishing/scams separately from spam
Spam vs Phishing/Scams
It is often pretty easy for savvy users to tell that an item in the Inbox or Spam folder is phishing. However, we know there are many users who are more at risk of being scammed.
When deleting spam, we should be able to indicate whether an item being deleted is just spam or if it is a phishing or other security issue. Then, the AOL security team can work more quickly to prevent many of these emails from going to all your subscribers.

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sshipl1 commented
I received this via AOL yesterday
\From: Got You <quickbooks@notification.intuit.com>
Date: May 27, 2023 at 6:29:56 PM EDT
To: invoice02-other@pro.space
Subject: You got Owned
Reply-To: invoicegkk@pro.space
HelloI know your password!
I infected you with a malware (RAT)/(Remote Administration Tool), some time ago and since then, I have been observing your actions. The malware gave me full access and control over your system, meaning, I can see everything on your screen, turn on your camera or microphone and you won't even notice about it, yes such things exist, you can Google it!
I have also access to all your contacts, I collected everything private from you, pictures, videos, everything!And I MADE A VIDEO SHOWING BOTH YOU (through your webcam) AND THE VIDEO YOU WERE WATCHING (on the screen) WHILE SATISFYING YOURSELF!
I can send this video to all your contacts (email, social network) and publish all your private stuff everywhere!
You can prevent me from doing this!
To stop me, transfer exactly: 400 USD with the current bitcoin (BTC) price to my bitcoin address.If you don't know how to get bitcoin, Google - "How to buy Bitcoin", it's very simple for example with credit card. The wallet you can create here: https://www.blockchain.com
My bitcoin address is: bc1qn8lf2w0v24uvk7x7epmmftuqyhtlkvf44ng6td
Copy and paste my address - it's (CASE-sensitive).
You know this all isn't a joke, you got the proof above!
I think it's a very good price compared to the damage and **** it can bring into your life!After receiving the payment, I will delete everything from you and you can live your life in peace like before. I give you 3 days to get the bitcoins!
Don't share this email with anyone, this should stay our little secret! -
Long time customer commented
Also spoofing by spammers who spoof our user name as their, or part of their from email address. There is no specific email address to report this. It is not regular spam spam. I view the message source to see where they are really coming from. Yahoo needs also needs to take responsibility as the server for AOL. AOL needs to help it's user by giving them an email to report these types of emails received. Be more responsible AOL and help protect your users email addresses. Reporting as spam is a joke.
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Tina Esium commented
We can. You first put the item in the SPAM folder, then delete. Putting it in the SPAM folder should be sufficient to notify AOL that it is unwanted. That should be compiling somewhere and would be all that's needed to act upon. If they do or not is another issue. For what it's worth, Comcast does a FANTASTIC JOB of weeding out SPAM in just this fashion. I get about 2-4 a month that sneak in, and they usually get eliminated quickly.
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BRYAN MUTH commented
Had AOL most of my adult life and Im old but probably will shut it down at the end of the year for 2 reasons. 1) It has become too political posting agendas. 2) doing a terrible and I mean terrible job stopping scammers. In todays email there are 5 scam saying I won something from ACE, KOHLS, COSTCO and others. I still have my faculties but other elderly can fall for this ****. DO BETTER AOL, even if/when I leave you others need that from you.
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Millie Haynes commented
AOL is seriously deficient in blocking spam and phishing emails. My GMail account has almost NO SPAM emails that get through - maybe one or two a WEEK. Yesterday hubby had over ONE HUNDRED and I usually have forty to sixty in a DAY. Granted they land in the spam folder but they should not even GET THROUGH. What is AOL doing about shutting these people down??????
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DAVID BATEMAN commented
There seemed to be an option for a few days to select the items in the spam folder and mark them as such and it would remove the email address info and supposedly stop any more from this e mail address coming thru, plus delete. That seems to have disappeared. I found it when I opened by aol on the computer. Didn't see it on my mobile aol e mail. It would be great to have this blocker put back and have it automatically routed to the phishing report@phishing.gov.uk. When you try and unsubscribe for each individual e mail you end up getting even more and some of them are really inappropriate and rude.
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Shirley Meyer commented
I have this scam that keeps repeating. How do I forward it to you?
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MICHAEL ZARIN commented
My comment goes in a slightly different direction but is related to this. It's about the two-step process to identify a mail as spam. If a spam gets through the filter to the inbox, I can identify it as spam. All good. But then you have this new function requires the user to choose between "Identify as spam" or "Remove from mailing list." In theory, that might make some sense. But in practice, I have never once -- not one single time -- ever opted to be removed from a mailing list. If I want to remove myself from a legitimate mailing list, I'll scroll to the bottom of every legitimate email list I want to unsubscribe from and do so. But given that vast amount of spam on AOL, some of which gets through the filter every day, I ask that you simply delete this otherwise pointless additional step of making the user choose between "spam" and "remove from list." Thanks.
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Long time customer commented
AOL needs to add Report Phishing and Report Inappropriate emails options. Not just one button calling everything spam. Evidently they are having trouble distinguishing the difference with the millions they receive as spam. The spammers are all phishing for your info so they can add you to and share their mailing list to send more emails your way. All Spammers are Scammers.
This is frustrating that AOL has done nothing to improve options for reporting these spammers for it's customers. They need to catch up with current technology. The new owners Apollo Global Management should be made aware so AOL can hire some techs that can add more options. -
PIERRE PELMONT commented
I received a notification that my account would be terminated without my having requested it. The reply address could not be accessed on my computer and appeared to be scam. Please do not shut down my account. Thank you! Pierre Pelmont
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JEFFREY BRUNNELSON commented
Excellent idea! Big difference between home improvement or political Spam and fake Amazon/Bank/phishing...
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fordham heights commented
I'm assuming 'discount-code' and all these other dumpers of irrelevance are coming from .ru, seeing as things aren't easy peasy between the US and them.
The increase on high-volume spam drop days is +1,000% than even just a month or so ago
Even get spam dumps on weekends now, which used to be pretty quiet
Wish spam wouldn't even get as far as my spam folder but filtered waaaaaaay before by AOL, but I do tend towards magical thinking
What a waste of energy -
Edward Bakker commented
I,ve had more spam and advertssSince AOL changed over to Yahoo. I pay for my AOL subscription so why do I get Spam?
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IRENE STOKES commented
is aol getting paid for using our email address for their spam
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Livingny commented
Never unsubscribe from Spam! Now they know your address is monitored and you'll receive more! I use a program called Mailwasher. You can delete, report and bounce those spammers. All without downloading anything to your mail program. I've used it for years. They have a free and a paid version.
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Jeannie Thoren commented
Having trouble finding how to block the spam and sexual contents !!!
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NORMAN JUDGE commented
STOP PUTTING EMAILS THAT I'VE IDENTIFIED AS NOT SPAM IN MY SPAM FOLDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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KENN KUROWSKI commented
I 100% agree!!!! I use to get 100 Phishing Scams a day. Tried the unsubscribe route and now I get 200!! By allowing these emails the AOL security team is actually promoting scamming. When I get 10 emails a day saying I won a Stanley tool kit and they all come in from different jumbled, random generated email addresses, its a safe bet they are phishing scam attempts.
By allowing fake emails addresses to send emails, you prevent the recipient from blocking any emails. You should allow subscribers to block by subject line or better yet phrases/words within the subject line.