The use of email tracking is increased in recent years. Companies and spammers want to know when you are exactly opening the email. Many people, corporates, marketers and even spammers using a tracking code inside the email which intimates when the receiver opens it. It is a quite annoying technique used by senders and not a welcoming thing.
Recently, I got an email from a marketing agency and I opened the email. I got a call from the company within the next minute to explain their product in detail. It means they got to know that I opened the email and it is the right time to make a call to discuss their marketing plan.
This can be avoided in various ways. If you are feeling the email tracking or snooping is not kind of your thing, you can simply put stop to the tracking activity.
1. Stop tracking activity in Gmail with Ugly Email
If you are using Gmail as a default email for regular conversations you can stop the tracking activity using Ugly Email extension. This extension stops the scripts running to collect your email activity data by the sender. When a tracker is found in the Gmail, the extension shows an eyeball icon in the subject line which indicates a script is inside the email.
Now the service is supporting almost all popular tracking services detection and it can detect and disable email tracking.
2. The traditional method of finding and stopping trackers in Email
This method is to stop the trackers from the beginning. It involves avoiding emails showing the display images. Many spammers and trackers use the secret tracking code inside the images. If you set always display remote images option in emails, then you have more chances of being tracked. Avoid automatically load remote images to stop the tracking activity. Here, you can stop loading them automatically on these the major platforms web, iOS, and Android.
On Gmail
- Click on the gear icon and click Settings.
- Under the General tab, scroll down to Images.
- Select “Ask before displaying external images.”
- Now at the bottom, click Save Settings.
On an Android
- Open the Gmail app on your Android.
- Select your Account.
- Tap on Images.
- Now select “Ask before showing.”
On an iOS
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap on Mail, Contacts, Calendars.
- Now swipe left on “Load Remote Images” to turn it off.
3. Using VPN
The tracking codes can detect your location and email opening time. Once you get tracked, they use this information for serving relevant ads on your email. This a pure privacy violation and tracking without user consent is an offense. If you want to disguise yourself from being tracked in emails, VPN is the best ways to use it.
VPN is designed to provide security and privacy to its users by routing your online traffic to their servers. In the end, the tracker can’t detect your actual location and IP and they get fooled by the fake location. There are several VPN services available to start with and many services are coming as free. A free VPN is not recommended to everyone. If you want to know more about it read our comprehensive guide Why you shouldn’t use a free VPN service article.
Paid VPN comes with reliable and trustworthy security protocols and enough disguise solutions. Based on the requirement and budget we have selected the best VPN services to avoid email tracking.
1. IPVanish
IPVanish is budget friendly and offers plenty of security options to bypass email tracking activities. IPVanish servers are located in 60+ different countries and it has good security protocols like IKEv2, OpenVPN with TCP and UDP, L2TP, IPSec, SSTP, PPTP. It has military-grade, 256-bit AES encryption, and your information will be secure and safe from snooping eyes.
When you use IPVanish, your internet network traffic is routed through the IPVanish servers to disguise your actual location. It enables streaming of restricted websites in your region. IPVanish supports 256-Bit AES encryption which is highly secure and ensures high security to your connection. Based on testing results, price and server locations IPVanish is one of the best VPN service available.
2. NordVPN
NordVPN is a serious service oriented VPN service with the toughest online security. It provides ultimate protection to stay secure online and avoids the online trackers by disguising your actual location and other sensitive data. NordVPN has one of the biggest server networks in the industry with 5,100+ servers in 60 countries. It has enough security protocols to protect you from annoying email trackers.
NordVPN can be accessed from numerous platforms including Browsers, Windows or Mac Software, iOS or Android Applications, etc. With numerous functions including Secret notes, Encrypted chat, Web proxy extensions, etc. the NordVPN does more than a typical VPN service.
There will be no proof for your footpaths on the internet if you have the NordVPN service active. If any servers or programs demands your info, there will be no answer other than having a naughty smile.
3. ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is one of the finest VPN service available to buy. The service has got many awards for its performance and speed. We have given the third-position in this list based on the pricing. The remaining things like security, speed, features are performing top notch and you can do your online activity without the fear of being spied online.
Express VPN offers OpenVPN UDP by default. Alternatively, they also provide OpenVPN TCP, L2TP/IPSec, SSTP and PPTP. The service uses 256-bit encryption to protect your data from hackers. Using ExpressVPN you can use public WiFi hotspots without any security breach issues.
Summing up
These are the best possible ways of avoiding email trackers in Gmail and other popular email services. All the aforementioned solutions work well on all the platforms and you’ll be able to stay anonymous online.
Let us know any new working solutions to avoid email tracking and please mention in the comment box to share the technique to the world.