Need Ponography spam blocker. Getting 12-15 hits per day on email
(Paris Hilton, etc.).  We are elderly and do not want this harassment.

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Request for Question Clarification by missy-ga on 29 Nov 2003 10:27 PST

What e-mail client are you using? (Eudora, Outlook Express, Pegasus, etc.)?

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Clarification of Question by diersrus-ga on 29 Nov 2003 15:30 PST

We are using Outlook Express and Internet Explorer on Windows XP

Hi there,

While many ISPs filter spam out at the server level (using tools such
as the very effective SpamAssassin, noted below), some spam still
manages to creep through even the toughest defenses.  Spammers are
getting more and more savvy by the day, circumventing filters by
changing the spellings of keywords likely to be filtered out (such as
Viagra being spelled V.i.agra or Vi_agra, or other variants), so even
mail administrators using SpamAssassin can have a hard time keeping
up.

It's important for end-users to help safeguard their own e-mail boxes
by using filters (or "rules" in OE) to route obectionable e-mail
straight to the trash.  To do this in OE:

-- Select Tools, then Message Rules, then Mail

In the New Mail Rule window that appears, check:

-- Where the Subject line contains specific words *or* Where the
message body constains specified words

*and*

-- Move it to the specified folder

It will look like this:

http://www.rochester.edu/its/email/spam/images/olexpress/02filter.JPG

In the last window, click on the link "contains specific words", and
enter the word you want to filter on. Click Add, then click OK.  This
will return you to the main pane (pictured above).  In the Rule
Description window, where it says, Move to the specified folder, click
on specified.  Enter the name of the folder you would like to send the
spam to (Trash, for instance, or you may create a new folder for
spam).  Click OK, name your rule (if you want), then click OK again.

You'll have to repeat this procedure for *every* word or phrase you
want to filter on.

Sounds like a pain in the neck, doesn't it?

Fortunately, there are also helper applications that can take care of
the spam filtering for you - you need only download them and follow
the setup instructions:

Inbox Cop (Free)
http://www.spamfighter.com/

InboxCop Anti-Spam Filter 9.4.4f  (Free)
http://earthlink.com.com/3000-2382-10154840.html

SpamBlocker (Free)
http://www.stop-sign.com/index.php?n=google_freestop

SpamPal 1.5 (Free)
http://earthlink.com.com/3000-2382-10225314.html?tag=lst-0-5

Spam Alarm for Outlook Express 1.0 (Free trial, $25 to buy)
http://earthlink.com.com/3000-2382-10216959.html?tag=lst-0-20

Hope this helps!

--Missy

Search terms [ "spam filters" "Outlook express" ], [ "block spam" Outlook Express ]

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Request for Answer Clarification by diersrus-ga on 06 Dec 2003 07:27 PST

We tried the message rules under our outlook Express.  It works only
once. When it subsequently fails, we go back to see if it is set and a
box opposite each rule has a red "x" opposite our rules, diabling them
I guess. Each time we modify to put the rules in force again, they
work only once and then are "x-ed" out again by (somebody??).  Are we
doing something wrong?  We do click "apply", and think we carefully
engaged it.

Contact your ISP (the company you go through to get online) and
complain to them. Sometimes they'll have a spam blocker on their side
that you can customize to meet your needs (like SpamAssassin, for
example). Mine does and it works great. If yours does too, they'll
probably let you log into it and list the addresses of the annoying
emails thus preventing them from coming through in the future.

Otherwise you might consider a filtering service such as COVENANT
PROMOTIONS which does all the filtering FOR YOU for $4.95 a month, or
$49.95 a year.
http://www.covenantpromotions.com/filtering.html

Regards;
tutuzdad-ga