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How does spam filtering work for IMAP?

maranello
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How does spam filtering work for IMAP?

I have been advised to set addresses as 'safe senders' to avoid subscribed mail notifications ending up as spam. This is in response to a query I raised to the senders about not receiving emails I was expecting. I can understand if I was using POP3 then whichever email app I used would be providing the spam protection, but with IMAP isn't the spam protection function applied to Plusnet mail servers and any change to setting for the email app would not have any effect?

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bobpullen
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Re: How does spam filtering work for IMAP?

Whether you're using IMAP or POP3, chances are our anti-spam filters are scanning your mail (unless you've explicitly turned the filtering off). You can whitelist domains/senders using the Manage My Mail tool here.

Bob Pullen
Plusnet Product Team
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maranello
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Re: How does spam filtering work for IMAP?

Thanks Bob. I presume this means that setting up a list of safe senders or adding the addresses to my contact list will only work if I turn off spam filtering, since  the pn mail servers stop what it believes is spam before messages reach my mail app. I'll try using the whitelist option in Manage my Mail, as you suggest

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bobpullen
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Re: How does spam filtering work for IMAP?


@maranello wrote:

Thanks Bob. I presume this means that setting up a list of safe senders or adding the addresses to my contact list will only work if I turn off spam filtering,

On the contrary. The whitelist/blacklist is only relevant if you have spam filtering enabled.


Bob Pullen
Plusnet Product Team
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maranello
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Re: How does spam filtering work for IMAP?

Thanks Bob for providing the clarification. I have been in touch with the sender of messages that I am expecting but don't receive. It appears that there may be a problem affecting other subscribers

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southerner
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Re: How does spam filtering work for IMAP?

I'm finding my server side spam filtering doesn't work.

I use IMAP, I have spam filter on under my Plusnet email settings on the server and the addresses I want to block on my black list but, for instance, I have recommendedjobs.co.uk blocked as I never subscribed to that nor will they action my unsubscribe request but the mails are still delivered to me.

spraxyt
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Re: How does spam filtering work for IMAP?

The domain you need to enter in the blacklist is that shown in the Return-path: header in the email (everything after the @). That will most likely be different from that shown in the From: header which I assume is what you included in your post.

Since the messages are spam you can also help train the Cloudmark spam filters by going into webmail and reporting those which got through using the "this is spam" button.

David
southerner
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Re: How does spam filtering work for IMAP?

Thanks Spraxy. You were right about the return path. Would I just be blocking that sender if I add that to my black list or would I be blocking that whole mail platform (amazonses.com)? I reported the mail as spam in webmail to try and get Cloudmark's attention on it

Return-path: <010001544c0cc71b-a5eea5a7-5027-454b-9c16-53b346e50f36-000000@amazonses.com>
Envelope-to: .plus.com
Delivery-date: Mon, 25 Apr 2016 07:13:08 +0100
Received: from [212.159.9.108] (helo=avasin10.plus.net)
	  by inmx18.plus.net with esmtp (PlusNet MXCore v2.00) id 1auZlc-0003qB-B3 
	  for .plus.com; Mon, 25 Apr 2016 07:13:08 +0100
Received: from a11-58.smtp-out.amazonses.com ([54.240.11.58])
	by avasin10.plus.net with Plusnet Cloudmark Gateway
	id mWD71s0061F8cvJ01WD7y5; Mon, 25 Apr 2016 07:13:08 +0100

 

spraxyt
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Re: How does spam filtering work for IMAP?

If you add amazonses.com to your blacklist then anything sent with Return-path in that domain will be refused. If you try to be specific by adding the local part before the @ it will probably be ineffective because that is likely to change for each email.

Is using the domain a problem?

David
southerner
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Re: How does spam filtering work for IMAP?

I'm not sure if other valid email might come from the domain. It seems to be an Amazon cloud e-mail service that many different customers might use?

spraxyt
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Re: How does spam filtering work for IMAP?

The SES in Amazon SES stands for Simple Email Service and as you say anyone can use it. Unfortunately "anyone" includes spammers.

If you don't currently have legitimate senders using that service I suggest blacklisting the domain for a month, then remove the entry and see if the spam starts again. If it doesn't problem solved. Otherwise, more thought needed ...

David
southerner
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Re: How does spam filtering work for IMAP?

Thanks for your input. I blocked the domain in the end & the spam went away.
maranello
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Re: How does spam filtering work for IMAP?

I'm still having problems where subscribed messages are not getting through. I have tried turning off spam filtering, which resulted in a huge increase in spam but did not result in messages I was expecting getting through. I have tried re-subscribing, this didn't work either. Subscriptions are for Holland & Barrett, Lakeland, Wyevale, so not a single organisation and none that could be considered suspect. 

Anyone else having similar issues?

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bobpullen
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Re: How does spam filtering work for IMAP?

Where are you subscribing from so we can try replicating the problem?

Bob Pullen
Plusnet Product Team
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maranello
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Re: How does spam filtering work for IMAP?

Holland & Barrett, sign-up via website, but as part of reward scheme.

Lakeland, website sign-up for notification of offers. 

Wyevale, don't know, have to ask SWMBO 

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