222 Troublesome spam trigger words to avoid like the plague

Crafting emails, social posts, or online ads?

Make sure to avoid these 222 spam trigger words.

⚠ Caution: Deploying these words carelessly might flag your content, hurting your reach or killing it entirely.

Spam trigger words to eliminate from your messages

The flashy financier - promising fast earnings

Probably the most spammy words around.

These words promise substantial wealth quickly and effortlessly and are often used in scams.

1. "$$$"
2. "Billion dollars"
3. "Million dollars"
4. "Cash bonus"
5. "Double your income"
6. "Earn $"
7. "Earn extra cash"
8. "Money back"
9. "Money making"
10. "Potential earnings"
11. "Serious cash"
12. "Hidden assets"
13. "Unsecured credit"
14. "Unsecured debt"
15. "Loan approved"
16. "Loans"
17. "Money-back guarantee"
18. "Earn per week"
19. "Financial freedom"
20. "Get out of debt"
21. "No credit check"
22. "Eliminate bad credit"
23. "Eliminate debt"
24. "Income from home"
25. "Investment decision"
26. "Lower interest rate"
27. "Lower your mortgage rate"
28. "Lowest insurance rates"
29. "Accept credit cards"
30. "Additional income"
31. "Avoid bankruptcy"
32. "Beneficiary"
33. "Billing"
34. "Billing address"
35. "BONUS"
36. "Bonus credited"
37. "Buying judgments"
38. "Cashcashcash"
39. "Cashless"
40. "Check credited"
41. "Consolidate debt"
42. "Consolidate debt and credit"
43. "Cost"
44. "Credit"
45. "Low insurance premium"
46. "Low mortgage rates"
47. "Lower monthly payment"
48. "Lower rates"
49. "Outstanding amount"
50. "Outstanding values"
51. "Pennies a day"
52. "Stock alert"
53. "Stock disclaimer statement"
54. "Stock pick"
55. "XXX amount credited"
56. "XXX$ credited"

The urgency usher - creating a false sense of urgency

These words are used to pressure people into making decisions quickly...and without giving the product a thorough evaluation.

They don't necessarily indicate a scam, but they sure smell like it. ;-)

1. "Act immediately"
2. "Act now"
3. "Action required"
4. "Apply NOW"
5. "Apply Online"
6. "At no cost"
7. "Buy Now"
8. "Buy direct"
9. "Cancel at any time"
10. "Cancel now"
11. "Cancellation required"
12. "Claim your discount NOW!"
13. "Claim your prize"
14. "Click below"
15. "Click here"
16. "Exclusive deal"
17. "Exclusive discount"
18. "Exclusive offer"
19. "Expiring soon"
20. "For instant access"
21. "Get it now"
22. "Get started now"
23. "Hurry up"
24. "Important information regarding"
25. "Instant weight loss"
26. "Limited time"
27. "Limited time deal"
28. "Now only"
29. "Offer expires in X days"
30. "Once in a lifetime deal"
31. "Once in a lifetime opportunity"
32. "Once in lifetime"
33. "Online biz opportunity"
34. "Only for today"
35. "Save up to"
36. "Sign up free today"
37. "Stuff on sale"
38. "Supplies are limited"
39. "Take action now"
40. "Time-limited"
41. "Urgent"
42. "Vacation offers"
43. "Weight loss"
44. "While in stock"
45. "While you sleep"

The hyperbolic hype - exaggerating rewards

If it sounds to good to be true, it usually is!

These words make unrealistic claims that can mislead people into believing the impossible is within reach.

1. "0%"
2. "0% risk"
3. "777"
4. "99%"
5. "99.9%"
6. "100%"
7. "100% more"
8. "100% free"
9. "100% satisfied"
10. "50% off"
11. "100% money back"
12. "Best bargain"
13. "Best offer"
14. "Best price"
15. "Big bucks"
16. "Double your leads"
17. "Double your cash"
18. "Double your wealth"
19. "Earn extra profit"
20. "Extra cash"
21. "Extra income"
22. "Extract email"
23. "F r e e"
24. "For just X$"
25. "For only XXX amount"
26. "Free bonus"
27. "Free cell phone"
28. "Free consultation"
29. "Free DVD"
30. "Free gift"
31. "Free grant money"
32. "Free hosting"
33. "Free info"
34. "Free information"
35. "Free installation"
36. "Free instant"
37. "Free investment"
38. "Free iPhone"
39. "Free leads"
40. "Free membership"
41. "Free money"
42. "Free preview"
43. "Free quote"
44. "Free sample"
45. "Free trial"
46. "Full REFUND"
47. "Guaranteed deposit"
48. "Guaranteed income"
49. "Guaranteed payment"
50. "Huge discount"
51. "Incredible deal"
52. "Instant earnings"
53. "Instant income"
54. "Instant offers"
55. "JACKPOT"
56. "Lose weight"
57. "Lose weight instantly"
58. "Lowest price"
59. "Lowest price ever"
60. "Recover your debt"
61. "Recover your debt instantly"
62. "Satisfaction guaranteed"
63. "Save Big Money"
64. "They keep your Money — no refund!"
65. "Unlimited"
66. "Work at home"
67. "Work from home"
68. "You are a winner!"
69. "You have been chosen"
70. "You have been selected"
71. "You will not believe your eyes"
72. "Zero chance"
73. "Zero percent"
74. "Zero risk"

The overzealous salesperson - employing suspicious sales speak

Deceptive words and phrases a sleazy door-to-door salesman would use.

If you don't want to get the door slammed into the face of your digital marketing, use these words sparingly or not at all.

1. "Affordable"
2. "Auto email removal"
3. "Bargain"
4. "Cheap"
5. "Claims"
6. "Claims not to be selling anything"
7. "Claims to be in accordance with some spam law"
8. "Claims to be legal"
9. "Clearance"
10. "Compare rates"
11. "Confidential"
12. "Confidentially on all orders"
13. "Deal breaker"
14. "Dig up dirt on friends"
15. "Don't delete"
16. "Don't hesitate"
17. "Easy terms"
18. "Explode your business"
19. "Fast cash"
20. "Free access"
21. "Hidden charges"
22. "Info you requested"
23. "Information you requested"
24. "Join millions"
25. "Junk"
26. "Mass email"
27. "Never before"
28. "New customers only"
29. "No extra cost"
30. "No hidden costs"
31. "No interests"
32. "No medical exams"
33. "No middleman"
34. "Not intended"
35. "Not junk"
36. "Not spam"
37. "Open this email!"
38. "Please read"
39. "Priority mail"
40. "Prize"
41. "Profits"
42. "Promise"
43. "Pure profits"
44. "Requires initial investment"
45. "Risk-free"
46. "Save big money"
47. "Sent in compliance"

Why should you avoid spam trigger words?

Let me break it down for you:

Emails missing the mark

When these words sneak into your emails, they often miss the inbox altogether, landing straight in the spam folder.

Result? Your message goes unnoticed.

But wait, there's more (pun intended ;-)...

If your emails land in spam, your sender reputation will suffer, hurting your long term email deliverability.

Social media silence

Using these words in your posts? You might notice a drop in engagement.

Social platforms can push your content down the feed if it gets flagged for suspicious content, leaving it unseen.

Ineffective ads

Yes, you should exercise caution with paid promotions too.  

Ads over-sporting spam trigger words often get the red flag, meaning rejection and wasted advertising dollars.

And in case your ad does get accepted, it will probably scare away potential customers because of the spammy language used.

Bad for SEO

Google isn't a fan either.

These words can hurt your website's chance to shine on search engines, burying it under tons of other content.

Lacking responses

Emails or direct outreach messages sprinkled with these words?

They could be turning people off from replying - instantly killing the conversation.

You can learn more about spam words in this post, where we discuss their impact alongside tips for spam-free outreach.

How to use this spam trigger words list

Context is king

When you come across a word on the list, don't just eliminate it; consider the context.

Use these words judiciously, ensuring they fit naturally into your message.

Focus on authenticity

Rather than avoiding spam trigger words at all costs, aim for authentic, value-driven communication.

Balance and relevance

Strive for a balance between persuasive language and straightforward communication.

Ensure every word contributes to the relevance and clarity of your message.

Monitor engagement

Pay attention to how recipients interact with your content.

High engagement rates can offset the occasional use of a spam trigger word.

Try AB testing to monitor your success.

Continuous adaptation

Finally, stay adaptable.

Every platform’s algorithm has different rules to play by, make sure you know them.

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