Email Preview, Right-clicking And Avoiding Spam Question

[TuckerdogAVL]

I may be asking a question that doesn't need to be asked, but recently I've been wondering, "When I preview an email am I opening it?"

I would like to be able to delete the obvious SPAM when I receive it, but I'm wondering if the preview has already opened it? And, if I put my mouse over the email, the blue dot disappears so, I'm assuming I've opened it just by hovering over when it changed from unread to read, correct? (Fig.1)

... however it appears that if I hover over an email, but right click, I can delete it ... but, is this a way to ensure I haven't actually opened the email? Or, did it open merely because of the preview? (Fig.2)

I get so much SPAM (especially to my email for my business that is through a hosting company) I'd like to make sure I'm not actually sending my information to them. You know, like how you're not supposed to ever answer the phone when you know it's a spammer because then you've sent a live line back to them to sell. So, even if I choose not to open an email, but it's shown up in the inbox and I have a preview, have I opened it?

Sort of a take on "if a tree falls in the forest and no one is there, did it make a sound? "

 

[Cheryl]

You are not doing any thing wrong when you open an email. It is clicking on a link within the email or answering the email that creates problems. So you can preview or open the email to check it out without worry.
If you preview - did you open it - I would say no.

Just as a heads up, google does not send you an email about delayed messages. And do not respond to the emails that says your file or photo is corrupt. I once got an email about my credit card being frozen. Trouble was I never had an account with that bank.

 

[TuckerdogAVL]

You are not doing any thing wrong when you open an email. It is clicking on a link within the email or answering the email that creates problems. So you can preview or open the email to check it out without worry.
If you preview - did you open it - I would say no.

Just as a heads up, google does not send you an email about delayed messages. And do not respond to the emails that says your file or photo is corrupt. I once got an email about my credit card being frozen. Trouble was I never had an account with that bank.

Thanks. Yes, just ironic I chose those to illustrate with. I know that GOOGLE would never send out something like that, but I'm sure many folks don't realize that. Another annoying one is WHATSAPP notifications, which I don't use. And, yes, have been getting quite a few "file corrupt" recently.

My favorite is when I get an email that supposedly is from FEDEX telling me that UPS tried to deliver a package and that it's at the Post Office and click on the link to verify. And, of course, half of it is misspelled. Thanks for the quick response!

 

[SGilbert]

I was under the impression that if you open a spam email, the sender will know that you are a 'live' person, and that it is a legit eMail address. Therefore I do not even open emails that look suspicious. (Just as spam phone calls, they'll know it's legit & keep trying)

 

[TuckerdogAVL]

I was under the impression that if you open a spam email, the sender will know that you are a 'live' person, and that it is a legit eMail address. Therefore I do not even open emails that look suspicious. (Just as spam phone calls, they'll know it's legit & keep trying)

Back to my original question: What constitutes "OPENING?" And if it's in preview, has it opened? How do you avoid this if it is actually opening the mail? How do you NOT open the email then if it's in a list on your APPLE MAIL and you have the preview set (either in "classic" or the new horizontal setting) and you see the email, even if you haven't "read' or "unread" it?