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JunkMailChecklist

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Junk; Spam 
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Junk Mail Checklist
 
Webville does extensive server-side filtering. Outlook does client-side filtering and interfaces with Exchange's server-side filtering. These are some of the most important things you can do to minimize the amount of junk mail you receive and reduce false positives (where legitimate email is rejected or routed to your junk folder). Contact us directly for clarification where necessary.
  1. If you're using Outlook 2003, you need to upgrade to the current version of Outlook. See Outlook Download.
  2. Use Outlook 2007 or Outlook 2010, do not use Outlook 2003. Among other things, the newer versions interface with server side filtering and replicate your safe sender list to the servers.
  3. Turn on junk filtering and set appropriate options in Outlook. (Tools, Options, Preferences, Junk Email). See screen shots below. These options control your safe list, server side and client side filtering.
  4. Get the latest updates for Outlook's client side junk filter automatically by subscribing to Microsoft Update.
  5. Safe sender lists are a feature of mailboxes which cannot apply to groups (distribution lists).
  6. Unless you're using Outlook 2003 (see above), when filtering is turned on, mail from senders on your safe sender list is never treated as junk.
  7. Review and actively manage the safe sender list and related options.
  8. Do not add entire domains to the safe sender list. It doesn't work.
  9. Your safe sender list is replicated to the servers automatically but not instantly. Senders on your white list will not be rejected once replication has occurred (unless you're still using Outlook 2003 - see above).
  10. Sender addresses on spam are
    • Phony
    • Different every time (don't bother blocking senders)
    • May be designed to exploit your safe sender list
  11. Consider creating temporary, disposable addresses for use with online services. Distribution Group addresses are no-charge. We can easily create ebay@yourdomain.com for example. See Multiple Identities.
  12. In the Trust Center (Tools menu, Trust Center, Automatic Download) you can control whether Outlook automatically downloads and displays pictures when you open an HTML e-mail. Verify the default setting remains in effect, preventing the download and display of pictures from untrusted senders. Downloading pictures verifies to the sender that your e-mail address is valid, which encourages more junk mailings.
  13. Forefront Protection's Exchange server-side filters are updated automatically and frequently. If a new type of spam is successful in reaching you, the next filter update will probably eliminate it.
  14. In addition to all the filtering built into Exchange Server and Outlook, Webville uses the Forefront Protection IP block list service and the Spamhaus zen IP block list service. About 90% of senders connections to our systems (millions per week) are rejected because the sender is a known spammer.
  15. If for any reason a legitimate message is rejected as spam, the intended recipient's server normally returns it to the sender with an error message indicating the message was rejected. If you have one of those reports, we can help you interpret it. Forward the message with the detail from the internet headers to support@webville.net for analysis.
  16. Programmatically generated emails are often rejected unless the sender is on your safe sender list. This includes messages created by copy machines and web page scripts for example.
  17. Mail for your domain needs to come directly here from the senders and not be forwarded from another mail server, that is, DNS MX records must be configured exactly as indicated in DNS Info.
  18. The Sender ID SPF record for your domain must be configured exactly as indicated in DNS Info.
 
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Last modified at 5/12/2010 9:49 AM  by Bill Coulter (admin)