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Article number: kb-8
Q. Steps to take to stop Spam
A. All Union Hosting - Spam Protection Features some old and some new
Steps to take to block spam.
There has been a lot spam lately not only on All Union Hosting, but other host too.
I have read article after article on hosts trying to block spam at the server. So All Union Hosting has taken a few steps to block unwanted mail and allow the wanted mail to come through. We have installed the software howver there are actions needed to be taken by you. I will go threw the steps you can take with your hosting account in order to stop as much spam as possible while keeping your wanted mail. Of course it will not block "all" , but the majority will be blocked.
You will need to login to your control panel located at http://www.YOURDOMAIN.com/cpanel.
Once logged in you will see a lot of options below "Email Management tools"
Step 1 (default (catch all) address:
The first thing we are going to do is block all email that are not addressed to an email account that is on your account. It could be one or it could be many.
Click on "Default E-Mail Account"
After you click on this you will see your domain name (whatever.com) under that you will see one of 2 things. The first could be your username or an email address.
The second could be :fail: No Such Address Here
If you have an email address click "set default address (catch all).
Once it goes to the next page select your domain name if it is not selected and type :fail: No Such Address here in the text box and click change.
Step 2: Click on Spam Assassin
First thing we need to do is configure how want your spam handled. Click on "Configure Spam Assassin". Read through this page and fill in where you think you should if you are not sure click "go back" at the buttom.
Ok go ahead and click Enable SpamAssassin. Now the mail that is spam and maybe some that is not will come through maked at ***spam****.
Next scroll down and click enable spam box . This will reroute all mail to /spam folder so you don't have to sort it and only have to read the ones you want to receive. If you are worried about emails being marked as spam and would like to read these email please read the directions above Enable Spam Box on how to do this.
Step 3: BoxTrapper
Click on BoxTrapper Spam Trap
Now this software is a great piece of work. Once it goes to the new page you will see al list of your email address with a manage link on the right. Pick your first email account and click manage.
Once to the next page click Enable.
This is how boxtrapper works.
Anyone on your WHITE LIST can mail you.
Anyone on your BLACKLIST can't email you.
To get on your white list, when someone emails you. They will quickly get a return VERIFICATION email back asking them to click REPLY and SEND. As soon as they do that, they are on your WHITELIST.
This cuts down all automated spam from fake emails and from automatic email programs.
Questions:
How do I change my verification email?
1: Log in to your control panel
2: Click on the MAIL ICON
3: Click on Boxtrapper Spam Trap
4: If boxtrapper isnt enabled on the email address, please click ENABLE. If it is enabled, please click MANAGE
5: Click on EDIT CONFIRMATION MESSAGE
6: On the verify field click EDIT
It should say something like this….
To: %email%
Subject: Your email requires verification verify#%msgid%
The message you sent requires that you verify that you
are a real live human being and not a spam source.
To complete this verification, simply reply to this message and leave
the subject line intact.
The headers of the message sent from your address are show below:
%headers%
------------
You can edit any part of that and put it in your own words.
After you have finished editing, click the save button at the bottom.
Why would you want to edit your verification email?
Some people wish to put their name and company at the bottom.
Some want to reword the top part to tell people to click REPLY and SEND, to verify the email.
Its entirely up to you.
After someone is on your white list, they can mail you forever, unless you put them on your black list.
I sent out a numerous emails. How do I anticipate who would email me?
You can do this in two ways, you can just make another email in the control panel and not have boxtrapper turned on, or you can try this method submitted by a client below.
"I wanted to use the Box Trapper but could not anticipate who would email my site. I had recently emailed a large group of politicians and was unsure who would even acknowledge my existence. With the Box Trapper on, they would have to also go through this hoop and I knew many would not find the message to acknowledge that they were real until it was too late.
My first step was to go to the account in question and click on "manage"
I then clicked on "edit forward/ white/black/ignore lists"
I went into "edit white list"
I added the domain that I wanted all mail accepted from.
In this case is was @parl.gc.ca so I simply typed in "from parl\.gc\.ca
And pressed "save" at the bottom of the list. Now any government address would come through.
Checking the log to see who has sent email to the boxtrapper and is awaiting verification.
My next step was to check the log to see who had already sent mail.
I went into "Log Review"
From there I could find people I knew and add them to my white list manually. Their emails would then be allowed in without them responding but it would take a few days before their pending emails would come through.
Review Queue (Best tool of all)
I pressed this link. It showed me all of the messages that were waiting for replies from people for today's date. I could also scroll back to prior days to see if there were any important emails sitting waiting for a reply. If I found an email that I recognized, I would then click on the email in question by "checking" the "select" button beside the email in question. I would then go to the bottom of the page and click on the button that said "white list and deliver". Finally I would press "submit" when I had looked at the entire day and found all of the emails that I knew were not spam or viruses. The emails would be immediately sent to my inbox and the person who be put on my white list without having to respond to my Box Trapper email.
Hope this helps stop some of the spam and if you have any questions please email me chad@allunionhosting.com
Article number: kb-8