On or near 6/27/02 7:34 AM, Stavenau Ty H at [EMAIL PROTECTED] observed: > X-Mailer: Internet Mail Service (5.5.2653.19) > > > >> How do I set up filters in Entourage to filter out Spam email and unwanted >> Email before I view it. ?
Number one step: Turn on the "Junk Mail Filter" under the Tools menu. I'd advise setting sensitivity at about the 3/4 mark, if not all the way to "High." Then, set up a rule that checks for messages in category "Junk", and moves them into a special folder you've created to hold junk mail. In a fit of creativity, I called my folder "Junk." Periodically, check this folder, scan for any messages that are not junk, and deal with them. Best way: Open each message and click the line that says, "This is not junk." It will offer you ways to keep other such messages from being filed as junk. Once you have moved all non-junk out, delete all the junk by selecting it and typing Cmd-Delete. If you want additional junk filters, read the following suggestions: 1. JMF marks messages as junk, including a few that should not be so marked. 2. user-specific rules turn off the junk category and move matching messages to special folders, inhibiting any futher rule action. 3. Remaining messages are then processed by user-written "junk mail" rules. Important thing is NOT to set any junk filter rules that automatically delete stuff. Instead, move messages to a "junk" folder, which you peruse every now and then to rescue messages that do not belong. I typically find two or three such orphans each week. Often, these are from a friend who is announcing a change of E-mail address (and therefore their address doesn't match my Address Book), or a confirmation or shipping info for a purchase I made on a website...something like that. > I thought I'd just drop in here and share how I deal with spam messages, that > works really quite well for me. > > This is in addition to the Entourage junk mail filter I have set at maximum > strength. > > 1. Add all your important email contacts to your address book if you haven�t > already. Or for large lists of customers for example, add their email > addresses to a group as to not bog down your address book. You can also set > this up to happen automatically (for future legitimate contacts) when you > receive a new order for example. > > 2. Set up a rule (or multiple rules) that automatically files incoming mail > from your address book and/or group/s into your in box or any folder you want > and set an action to change the status to "not junk mail." > > 3. Set up a new mail folder called "Junk Mail" and place it anywhere you like, > (best if it's easily assessable.) > > 4. Set up a new rule called �Spam Mail� for example, and put it at the very > bottom of your rule list. Create a starter criteria list from sample spam > you�ve received, ie. �act now,� free offer,� �gambling,� �make money�, etc. > Keep the criteria list set to �if any criteria are met.� Set up an action to > change the status to �Junk Mail� and file into the folder named �Junk Mail� > you just set up. > > 5. Test your new rules out on some current messages and make adjustments as > necessary. > > 6. Every time you receive a spam message, identify a key word or phrase that > undeniably makes it stand out as spam. Then open your spam rule and add it to > the criteria list. I find it's best to use short phrases that are in the > subject heading or body, versus by the from address, which can so easily be > changed by spammers. And make sure to select phrases or words in your criteria > list that are not common to every day messages you may receive. > > Messages from people in your address book or group/s will not be caught by the > spam filter even if they use phrases that are in the spam filter, if you set > up the initial �address book/group� rule/s above, and put your junk mail rule > at the very bottom of your rule list. > > Every message that is filtered from other rules you have set up will also not > be subject to the spam filter because they will have been processed before > they reach the spam rule at the bottom. > > After doing this procedure for a few weeks now, I�ve been able to successfully > filter out 95% or so of all spam to my in box. Any spam mail that does slip > through the cracks, I look for a unique element that identifies it as spam ... > and then add that to the criteria list of my junk mail rule. Note: You only > need to set up one junk mail rule to do this, and you can add virtually > unlimited criteria. The one thing that happens though after setting up a dozen > or two criteria - it will take a little longer to open up the rule when you > want to add new criteria. > > That�s not a big deal though, when you consider all the spam you will be > filter automatically. And soon you will not have to this very often as you > �tighten up� your spam filtering system by consistently adding new spam > criteria when new junk mail arrives. > > Tip: If you create a category (and color) for your �customer group� for > example you will also know right away when you have an important message that > needs to be addressed, if any �junk mail� should miss your spam rule and land > in your inbox. > > 6. Lastly, Check your junk mail folder every so often (depending on what your > mail habits are), and manually scan it for any good messages that may have > been �mistakenly� filtered and drag them to your inbox. Then delete the email > in your junk folder. > > I say mistakenly, but the filter doesn�t make the mistake ... Perhaps this > email came from a sales inquiry for example and you had no rule for it set up. > (One way to fix that would be to set up forms on your website that deliver > specific subject headings to your inbox that can be easily identified and > filtered too.) > > Hope that helps. > > It works well for me. > On or near 6/17/02 10:48 PM, Jeff Forte at [EMAIL PROTECTED] observed: > > I thought I'd just drop in here and share how I deal with spam messages, that > works really quite well for me. > > This is in addition to the Entourage junk mail filter I have set at maximum > strength. > > I have nearly the identical setup you describe; the only difference is that I > have broken the �junk mail� rule into several rules of a similar kind (�Junk > Subjects�, �Junk phrases�, �Junk domains�). Here are some of my suggestions: > > Junk Subjects (contained in subject field): > � � (That is, four sequential blanks. Nearly no legit mail has that; many > spammers put a series of blanks with a code number at the end.) > �mortgage� > > Junk Phrases (contained in message body): > �discount prices� > �work from home� > �hardcore� > �xxx� > various obscenities such as �f--k� > �over 18� > �earn money� > �free!� > �stock tip� > �future mailings� > �financial freedom� > �$$� > �one-time mailing� > �joke-a-day� > > > Junk domains: > Joke.com > free4all.com > > I have been amazed at how much of the spam this filters out! > -- > My web page: <http://home.earthlink.net/~allenwatson/> > My scripts page: <http:homepage.mac.com/allenwatson> > Microsoft MVP for Mac Entourage/Word--<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> -- My web page: <http://home.earthlink.net/~allenwatson/> My scripts page: <http:homepage.mac.com/allenwatson> Microsoft MVP for Mac Entourage/Word--<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> -- To unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> archives: <http://www.mail-archive.com/entourage-talk%40lists.letterrip.com/> old-archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/entourage-talk%40lists.boingo.com/>
