{"id":4944,"date":"2026-10-01T17:16:53","date_gmt":"2026-10-01T17:16:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lcfcu.org\/wph\/workarea\/?p=4944"},"modified":"2026-10-01T17:22:56","modified_gmt":"2026-10-01T17:22:56","slug":"a-sudden-wave-of-emails","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lcfcu.org\/wph\/workarea\/a-sudden-wave-of-emails\/","title":{"rendered":"A Sudden Wave of Emails – could it be email bombing?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Steps to Take Before You Delete Everything<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most of us have opened our inbox and found messages we did not ask for. A store promotion. A newsletter you do not remember signing up for. A random confirmation email. Maybe a few strange messages that make you wonder, \u201cWhat did I click?\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Usually, it is just annoying.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But if your inbox is suddenly flooded <\/strong>with dozens or even hundreds of emails, it is worth slowing down before you delete everything. That flood of messages could be more than ordinary spam. It may be email bombing, a tactic where fraudsters overwhelm your inbox with junk messages to hide real alerts about account activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The goal is distraction. <\/strong>While you are busy clearing out the clutter, an important message from your bank, credit union, credit card company, or online account could be buried in the middle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That does not mean you need to panic. It does mean you should pause, take a breath, and check a few things first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do Not Delete Everything Right Away<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

When your inbox is full of junk, it is tempting to clean it out as fast as possible. Totally understandable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But before you bulk-delete, scan for messages that could signal account activity. Look for emails about password changes, account updates, new device logins, purchases, transfers, verification codes, or confirmation notices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A real alert may be sitting between all the noise. Taking a few minutes to search first can help you catch something important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check Your Accounts Directly<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Do not click links inside suspicious emails.<\/strong> Instead, go directly to the official website or app for your financial institution, credit card company, email provider, or shopping account.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Log in the way you normally would and review recent activity. Look for transactions you do not recognize, profile changes, new payment methods, changed contact information, or alerts you may have missed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If something looks wrong, contact the company directly using a phone number, website, or secure channel you know is legitimate. Do not use phone numbers or links from suspicious messages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Search Your Inbox for Key Words<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

If your inbox is flooded, <\/strong>use the search bar before you start deleting. Try searching for words like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Password<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Confirmation<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Alert<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Verification<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Purchase<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Transaction<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Order<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Login<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Account<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Also check your spam, junk, trash, and deleted folders.<\/strong> Important emails can sometimes end up in unexpected places, especially when your inbox is being flooded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Save Anything That Looks Suspicious<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    If you find messages tied to activity you did not authorize, save them. Take screenshots if needed. Keep emails, order confirmations, phone numbers, usernames, receipts, and anything else that may help explain what happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It may feel easier to delete everything and move on, but those details can be helpful if you need to report the activity or work with your financial institution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Secure Your Accounts<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    If you think something may be wrong, change passwords for affected accounts and turn on multi-factor authentication where available. Also review your account alerts. Make sure they are turned on and going to the right email address or phone number. Alerts are most helpful when they reach you quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Bottom Line<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

    A sudden wave of emails may just be irritating, but it should not be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Before you delete everything, take a few minutes to check your accounts directly, search for important alerts, and save anything suspicious. If something does not look right, contact LCFCU or the appropriate company using a trusted phone number, website, or secure channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When your inbox feels chaotic, the best first step is not panic. It is a careful pause.<\/em><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Steps to Take Before You Delete Everything Most of us have opened our inbox and found messages we did not ask for. A store promotion. A newsletter you do not remember signing up for. A random confirmation email. Maybe a few strange messages that make you wonder, \u201cWhat did I click?\u201d Usually, it is just […]","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":4945,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","attr_subtitle":[""],"attr_date":[""],"attr_excerpt":[""],"attr_secondary_image":[""],"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[132,129,13,102,130,131,15],"class_list":["post-4944","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories-from-the-stacks-blog","tag-account-takeover","tag-email-bombing","tag-fraud","tag-library-of-congress","tag-member-education","tag-suspicious-emails","tag-top-scams"],"yoast_head":"\nA Sudden Wave of Emails - could it be email bombing? - Library Of Congress FCU<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Sudden Wave of Emails - could it be email bombing? - Library Of Congress FCU\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Steps to Take Before You Delete Everything Most of us have opened our inbox and found messages we did not ask for. 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