Create a SPAM rule

Spam Control

In an ongoing effort to combat the increasing volume of Spam received by our Mail Servers we have installed SpamAssassin and we will be activating it for all hosted Email accounts on Tuesday, October 17th, 2006. We piloted the use of SpamAssassin and found it to be a very useful and effective way to quickly filter annoying and distracting Spam. We anticipate that our Email hosting clients will see similar results.

SpamAssassin actively looks for Spam and notifies you about possible Spam in your Email account. SpamAssassin analyzes all incoming Email messages and uses a variety of mechanisms to identify Spam including: header and text analysis, Bayesian filtering, DNS blocklists, and collaborative filtering databases. SpamAssassin gives you an explanation of the Spam characteristics identified in an Email and retains the original message in readable format.

What does this mean for an individual Email Hosting client?

When SpamAssassin identifies a message as probable Spam it inserts *****SPAM***** into the Subject of the Email prior to depositing it into your Email account. Questionable Email with the modified Subject field will not be blocked, hence we recommend that all our Email hosting clients set up a filter in their Email reader for the *****SPAM**** inclusion in the Subject field. Using filters in the mail reader one can create rules to redirect such mails to a separate folder for later review. As some legitimate Emails may be flagged by SpamAssassin we are setting up a feedback channel by which clients can inform us of when a message is incorrectly identified as Spam. To bring such items to our attention please contact us at support@ahoy.com.

To create a SPAM Filter Rule

To keep Spam out of your Inbox we recommend that you configure your Email program to deliver mail marked as Spam to a specific folder.

The specific steps needed to configure your computer to filter spam to a specific folder depend on the program you use to read and send Email messages. Both methods listed below will create an Outlook rule that will move messages with the *****SPAM***** subject modification. Once the step has been completed all messages with the modified subject line will be automatically redirected to the new spam folder upon receipt.

Steps for Creating a SPAM Filter Rule for Microsoft Office Outlook 2003

Steps for Creating a SPAM Filter Rule for Microsoft Outlook Express

If you continue to have difficulty configuring your Email program we recommend consulting the documentation that accompanied the software or the manufacturer's Technical Support specialists who troubleshoot Email configuration problems. Our Technical Support Team is also available to provide consulting assistance to clients as requested.