Hi Spur,
The presence of a ‘+’ in email addresses is not necessarily an indication of spam. This is a common technique known as email aliasing. Many email providers, like Gmail, allow users to add a ‘+’ followed by additional text to their email addresses. For example, username+alias@gmail.com will still be delivered to username@gmail.com. This can be used for filtering or tracking purposes.
However, the note “Online Store created this customer” could indicate that these email addresses were generated automatically, possibly through a form submission or a bot. Here are a few steps to help you determine if these are spam:
1. Check for Patterns- Look for patterns in the email addresses. If many of them follow a similar structure, it might be a sign of automated creation.
2. Review Customer Activity- Check the activity associated with these customers. If they have no purchase history or engagement, they might be spam.
3. Enable CAPTCHA- To prevent bots from creating fake accounts, enable CAPTCHA on your forms. This adds an extra layer of security.
4. Use Shopify Apps- Consider using apps like Shop Protector or ReCaptcha to help identify and block spam accounts.
5. Contact Shopify Support- If you’re still unsure, you can reach out to Shopify Support for further assistance. They can help you investigate and take appropriate action.
Regards