Gmail’s spam filter and automatic sorting are broken | The VergeSkip to main contentThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.The VergeThe Verge logo.TechReviewsScienceEntertainmentAIPolicyHamburger Navigation ButtonThe homepageThe VergeThe Verge logo.Hamburger Navigation ButtonNavigation DrawerThe VergeThe Verge logo.Login / Sign UpcloseCloseSearchTechExpandAmazonAppleFacebookGoogleMicrosoftSamsungBusinessSee all techGadgetsExpandLaptopsPhonesTVsHeadphonesSpeakersWearablesSee all gadgetsReviewsExpandSmart Home ReviewsPhone ReviewsTablet ReviewsHeadphone ReviewsSee all reviewsAIExpandOpenAIAnthropicSee all AIVerge ShoppingExpandBuying GuidesDealsGift GuidesSee all shoppingPolicyExpandAntitrustPoliticsLawSecuritySee all policyScienceExpandSpaceEnergyEnvironmentHealthSee all scienceEntertainmentExpandTV ShowsMoviesAudioSee all entertainmentGamingExpandXboxPlayStationNintendoSee all gamingStreamingExpandDisneyHBONetflixYouTubeCreatorsSee all streamingTransportationExpandElectric CarsAutonomous CarsRide-sharingScootersSee all transportationFeaturesVerge VideoExpandTikTokYouTubeInstagramPodcastsExpandDecoderThe VergecastVersion HistoryNewslettersExpandThe Verge DailyInstallerVerge DealsNotepadOptimizerRegulatorThe StepbackArchivesStoreSubscribeFacebookThreadsInstagramYoutubeRSSThe VergeThe Verge logo.Gmail’s spam filter and automatic sorting are brokenComments DrawerCommentsLoading commentsGetting the conversation ready...TechCloseTechPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All TechNewsCloseNewsPosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All NewsGoogleCloseGooglePosts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All GoogleGmail’s spam filter and automatic sorting are brokenUsers’ inboxes have been flooded with promotional emails and warnings to “be careful.”Users’ inboxes have been flooded with promotional emails and warnings to “be careful.”by Terrence O'BrienCloseTerrence O'BrienWeekend EditorPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Terrence O'BrienJan 24, 2026, 5:54 PM UTCLinkShareGiftIf you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement.Image: Alex Castro / The VergeTerrence O'BrienCloseTerrence O'BrienPosts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed.FollowFollowSee All by Terrence O'Brien is the Verge’s weekend editor. He has over 18 years of experience, including 10 years as managing editor at Engadget.Some Gmail users have noticed that promotional emails that normally go to their own siloed tab have started flooding their inbox. Reports have been hitting the Google forums and Reddit that messages are bypassing the Updates and Promotional filters and going straight to Gmail inboxes. Some are also reporting seeing a banner at the top of some messages warning them to “be careful with this message,” explaining that it hasn’t been fully scanned for spam or malware.Google acknowledged the issue, posting on the Workspace Status Dashboard:Gmail users might see banners indicating missing spam checks.We are experiencing an issue with Gmail beginning on Saturday, 2026-01-24 05:02 US/Pacific. Users might experience the following banner: “Be careful with this message. Gmail hasn’t scanned this message for spam, unverified senders, or harmful software.”We advise the users to be extra diligent in lieu of missing spam checks. Our engineering team is investigating the issue. 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Gmail’s spam filter and automatic sorting have experienced a significant disruption, impacting a notable segment of its user base. This issue, initially reported across various Google forums and Reddit, centers around a surge of promotional emails and warnings appearing within users’ inboxes. Specifically, messages that typically reside within Gmail’s “Updates” and “Promotional” filters are now bypassing these dedicated tabs and directly landing in primary inboxes. A key symptom of this malfunction is the appearance of banners at the top of messages, informing recipients that Gmail has not yet performed a scan for spam, unverified senders, or potentially harmful software. This indicates a failure within the system's automated security protocols designed to identify and block malicious content. Google acknowledged the problem, promptly posting a statement on its Workspace Status Dashboard, confirming the issue’s emergence on Saturday, January 24th, 2026, at 5:02 US/Pacific Time. The statement outlined that users were encountering the banner notification and advised heightened vigilance when reviewing incoming messages due to the compromised security checks. The engineering team was actively investigating the cause of the disruption, with a subsequent update scheduled for Saturday, January 24th, 2026, at 9:30 US/Pacific Time. This incident underscores the critical role that Gmail’s spam filter plays in safeguarding users’ inboxes and highlights the potential ramifications of a system-wide failure in automated security. The response from Google, while acknowledging the issue, demonstrates a proactive approach to resolving the problem and mitigating the immediate impact on its user base. The situation highlights the complexity of maintaining robust security protocols within a widely-used email service, particularly as the volume and sophistication of spam and phishing attempts continue to evolve.