» Configuring Outlook Express to block and delete Spam «

Configuring Outlook Express to block Spam

The majority of you will be using Explorer and will likely have tried the 'block sender'. Well, it's a start. a better option is to 'Create Rule from Message'

Message --> Create rule from message…

Thus:

From there you can edit the options, who it's from, the subject content, certain words in the main body and so forth. Then you can decide how to treat such messages - for example, do not download them from the server.

You can further configure it by clicking on the highlighted option. Thus in this example I have chosen to add blocks to AOL and MSN. You can again modify this through the Options - for example, all email not coming from employee@your-company.com OR Aunty-Mabil@your-own-site.org can be automatically be deleted from the mail server.

You can then edit these rules, delete them or indeed create new ones via:

Tools --> Message Rules --> Blocked Senders List

Another trick you can employ is the use of save folders. Create folders with the users name(s) and have the messages moved there. Here's an example:

Message --> Create rule from message…

So you could have Mum@home.org in the mum folder, Dad@work.org in another and so forth. What's left is generally junk. It won't help where they have your email pegged but it will show those using the shotgun approach.

Every little bit helps, I guess. I am using this with a honeytrap mail address to catch new spambots. If anything shows up I know a spider has illegally accessed a hidden page on my site.

Similarly, you can either move so called "priority" mail or messages with (invariably nasty) attachments to a holding folder or, just delete them altogether. If they where genuine, you can always drag them out again!

Other tricks and tips for Outlook Express

Another thing you can do is NOT preview messages:

This has two benefits. For a start, you and, more importantly your children / co-workers are not subjected to the sort of images best left in the sewers.

Secondly, as I've mentioned elsewhere, Spammers love knowing you have opened there rubbish. Just seeing the advert is enough to tell some of these scum you have read the message and, therefore, are fair game for a whole lot more!


Delete what's obviously rubbish and Spam, then to read your messages, just double-click on them and they will open up in a new window. Naturally you can "reply" as normal to any message.


Go to:     View --> Layout…

From the Preview Pane area UNTICK 'Show preview pane'