United States: Growing concerns over online fraud have prompted a sharp rise in searches for ways to block scam emails, with queries increasing by 52% over the past year, according to research analysed by cybersecurity firm Guardian Digital.
The findings show that Americans are increasingly looking for ways to protect their inboxes as cybercriminals use fake shopping offers, account alerts and security warnings to deceive recipients.
Data from Google search trends revealed that queries for “how to block scam email” recorded an average monthly search volume of 236,330. Searches for stopping spam emails increased 49% to 1.48 million, while queries about preventing junk emails rose 39% to 353,360.
Guardian Digital CEO Dave Wreski warned that blocking unwanted senders alone cannot prevent phishing attacks. He advised users to independently verify suspicious requests rather than trusting messages that appear genuine.
The report highlighted how phishing attacks can lead to financial losses, stolen information and compromised systems. It also cited Microsoft’s growing popularity among cybercriminals, with the brand accounting for 33% of phishing attempts tracked by Check Point Research in the third quarter of 2026.
According to the FBI’s 2025 Internet Crime Report, phishing and spoofing emerged as the most frequently reported cybercrime category in the US, registering 191,561 complaints.
Guardian Digital urged individuals and businesses to verify unexpected requests through official channels, avoid downloading software through unsolicited emails, use unique passwords and enable stronger authentication methods.
Users were also advised to report suspicious messages immediately and change compromised passwords through legitimate platforms.
The research analysed US Google search volumes from 2025 to November 2026 using KeywordTool.io and Semrush.
