There is no doubt that spam is a problem, and it appears to be getting worse. So much so that Feb 2018 over 80% of all email is spam. Take a look here for the current situation.

All of Smartmail's settings are geared towards minimising spam. We reject thousands of emails per day system wide (about 200 accounts)

We use a combination of spam database lookups, bayesian scores (through Spam Assassin, Amavis and Clam), DKIM and SPL and local filters set up by individual users though Smartmailhq.com

Despite all this we all still get too much spam.

DNSBL Checks

All incoming mail is checked against know spamming IP addresses (these change on an hourly basis) and rejected if they find a match. We check about 5 very large DNS block lists.

This method alone is rejecting spam to the tune of thousands a day.

Spam Assassin

At present we have the Spam Assassin rejection score set at 6.5. (8.5 - 10 is considered average). This relatively agressive setting is supported by an even more agressive score of 5.0 where the email is marked as spam (***SPAM***) but not rejected.

We have been incrementally lowering this score over time as a result of user feedback.

If clients are getting getting genuine emails marked as spam, they should advise Smartspace immediately as there is the danger of genuine emails being rejected. This is the canary in the coalmine to say that our settings are too agressive.

you may start to see some emails with ***SPAM*** attached (these may end up in your junk folder depending on your local settings)

You can reject these emails completely using our online tools, but I suggest that this is monitored for a while prior to filtering through your local system.

If you run a local email client such as Outlook, Thunderbird, Macmail etc, you may have some tools which help you to discard spam more easily. You should check out the instructions for these depending on the system you use.

Local Action In Smartmailhq

You can also create some settings in our webmail system which can reject emails based on different identifiable word patterns using filters.

Obviously, if you can be sure the ***SPAM*** marked emails are always spam, you can ensure that they get deleted before they hit your inbox.

You can also use our junk button which will help train your system, though that requires a lot more dedication as it takes some time for this to have a noticable effect.

To use filters in our webmail system go to https://smartmailhq.com and log in using your normal email credentials.

Navigate to the settings area and select filters

Create a new filter

Add the filter conditions and what needs to be done when it finds a match.

Do not bounce rejected emails - delete instead

This page may help a little

https://www.smartspace.website/infopage/setting-up-your-smartmail

Unknowingly Subscribed

It is possible some emails which are spam actually arrive as a result of your email address being sold to marketers unknowingly. These will sometimes have an unsubscribe link at the bottom.

Always check for this and unsubscribe where available. Unfortunately, if your email address has been sold, it is the equivalent of playing whack a mole as there is an endless supply of marketers who are desparate for more email addresses.

Be very carerful to subscribing or registering with anyone. Always read the terms of service and/or privacy staement.

If they do not specifically state that your details will not be sold to third parties, take extreme caution when registering.