How to Stop Spam Emails in Contact Form 7

Contact Form 7 (CF7) is one of the most popular WordPress plugins for creating contact forms. However it’s also a high target for spam bots, leading to unwanted messages. Since nobody wants their inboxes flooded with spam mail, it’s time to harness the power of CF7. Fortunately, there are multiple ways for you to effectively stop spam emails in Contact Form 7.

Methods to Stop Spam Emails in Contact Form 7

A. Enable Google reCAPTCHA

Google reCAPTCHA is one of the best ways to prevent automated spam submissions. It involves the following steps –

1. Go to reCAPTCHA Admin Console: [Google reCAPTCHA]
2. Register Your Website – Select ‘reCAPTCHA v3’ or ‘reCAPTCHA v2 Checkbox.’ Enter your domain and get the Site Key and Secret Key.
3. Integrate with Contact Form 7 – Go to ‘WordPress Dashboard > Contact > Integration.’ Click reCAPTCHA and enter your Site Key and Secret Key.
4. Save the employed changes and evaluate the Form.

B. Use the Akismet Plugin for Spam Protection

Akismet is a powerful and popular anti-spam plugin that helps block spam messages. It requires you to implement the following steps –

1. Go to WordPress Dashboard > Plugins > Add New.
2. Search for ‘Akismet Anti-Spam’ and Install it.
3. Activate the plugin and setup an API Key from Akismet.
4. Enable Spam Protection for CF7 in the plugin settings.
5. Save the changes and monitor spam reduction.

C. Add a Quiz or Math CAPTCHA

Even a simple challenge like a math problem or puzzle can deter spam bots from submitting forms. You’re to keep up with the steps mentioned below –

1. Edit Your Form in Contact Form 7.
2. Add a well-prepped ‘Quiz Field.’
3. Now, save and test the Form.

D. Use the Honeypot Anti-Spam Method

Honeypot traps are hidden fields that only interact with bots. And it can effectively block those for CF7.Execute the following steps to counteract spam emails –

1. Install the ‘Honeypot for Contact Form 7’plugin.
2. Activate the plugin and edit your Contact Form.
3. Add the designated honeypot tag.
4. Save the changes and test the Form.

E. Block Specific Keywords and IPs

Blocking spam keywords and/or IPs can further help prevent recurring spam. The steps are easy as they only involve –

1. Going to ‘Contact > Additional Settings’ in CF7.
2. Adding the designated code to the settings.
3. Save changes and monitor spam reduction.

Additional Tips for Reducing Spam

• Use an Email Verification Plugin – It ensures valid emails are entered.
• Avoid Displaying Your Email Publicly – This one prevents scrapers from collecting email.
• Employ Form Submission Limits – It restricts repeated submissions from the same IP.
• Regularly Update Contact Form 7 – This one keeps security vulnerabilities in check.

Stopping spam emails in Contact Form 7 feels mandatory, especially when your inbox gets overwhelmed every now and then. It’s a major issue in maintaining a professional and secure website, and you must look into audience engagement. Implement every possible method to reduce the number of spam emails. You can start with Google reCAPTCHA and go forward with Akismet, honeypot, quizzes, and keyword filtering.

Contact Tectera a web design company in Toronto for more information’s.