There’s a federal law called the CAN-SPAM Act, and it basically says: if a business sends you commercial emails, they have to play by the rules. One of the biggest rules? Every single commercial email must include a working way for you to opt out. Not a fake link. Not a broken button. A real, functional unsubscribe option.
And here’s the part companies don’t love — once you use it, they have to honor it. They’ve got 10 business days to stop sending you emails after you opt out. That’s it. They can’t keep blasting your inbox while they “process your request” for three months.
So if you unsubscribed and they’re still emailing you well after those 10 business days, they’re likely breaking federal law.
What can you actually do about it? You can report them to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The FTC is the agency that enforces the CAN-SPAM Act, and violations can come with serious penalties for the company. You’re not just venting into the void — you’re filing a real complaint with the government agency that has authority to act on it.
A few things worth knowing: the 10-day window is in business days, so weekends and federal holidays don’t count. And the law covers commercial emails from U.S.-based senders — basically anything trying to sell you something or promote a product. It’s slightly different from purely transactional emails, like a receipt or a shipping notification, which don’t need an unsubscribe option the same way. Also worth noting: foreign-based spammers often operate outside the FTC’s practical reach, so the law is most effective against legitimate U.S. businesses.
Bottom line: you don’t have to just deal with spam from U.S. companies. Unsubscribe, wait the 10 business days, and if they keep going — report them.