Have a "spam-only" email account that is only given out to those people you don't want to give your real email address to. For example, your real email address

Have a "spam-only" email account that is only given out to those people you don't want to give your real email address to. For example, your real email address might be 'billsmith@gmail.com', and your "spam email" account might be 'billybloggs@yahoo.com'. Now you know for sure, that any emails that go to the 'billybloggs@yahoo.com' are more than likely to be just good old spam (aka 'advertising'). Just like any other spam folder, you might have a quick scan of what's arrived roughly once a month or so, if you feel like it. And while you're at it, you can bulk-delete them all, getting the bucket ready for the next month's crap.