How do I cut down on spam and block a sender?

How do I block a sender?

E-3 email (SmarterMail webmail)

1. Sign in to webmail at mail.e3webmail.com.
2. Open Settings, then Filtering, then Spam Filtering.
3. Under Blocked Senders, add the address, or the whole domain after the @ sign.
4. Choose what happens to blocked mail: Move to Junk Email is the safest choice, because you can still check it.
   • Expected result: new mail from that sender skips your inbox. The block applies to your mailbox only.

The same page lets you choose what happens at each spam level: deliver it, move it to Junk, add text such as “[Possible Spam]” to the subject, or delete it. SmarterTools advises deleting only at the high level, if at all. Moving to Junk is safer, because a deleted message can’t be checked.

SmarterTools’ spam filtering guide describes these settings. Menu names can differ by version.

Outlook

Right-click a message from the sender and choose Block, then Block Sender, as Microsoft shows in blocking a sender in Outlook. In classic Outlook you can also use Home, then Junk, then Block Sender.

Gmail

Open a message from the sender, select More (three dots) next to Reply, and choose Block. Google’s blocking guide notes that their future messages go to Spam.

The short version

• Mark spam as junk and block repeat senders. Don’t reply or click unsubscribe in messages you didn’t sign up for.
• A sudden flood, or real mail held back, needs a look at the server’s spam filter.

Why doesn’t blocking stop it?

Most spam comes from addresses that change every time, so blocking one sender rarely makes a dent. What helps more:

• Server filtering. The mail server scores each message before it reaches you. That’s where real gains come from.
• Taking your address off your website. Plain email addresses on web pages get collected by bots. A contact form is safer. See stopping form spam too.
• Checking your own domain’s settings. If spam appears to come from your own address, read someone is sending fake emails as me.

What are the common mistakes and edge cases?

• Blocking a real customer by accident. Check your blocked list now and then. Block whole domains only for companies you never deal with.
• Spam filters set to delete. Good mail can vanish with no trace. Junk is safer.
• “Quarantine” notices. Some filters hold suspect mail and send you a summary. If real mail is being held, tell whoever runs your email rather than releasing unknown messages yourself.
• Good mail now in Junk. See good emails landing in junk.

What if this didn’t work?

If spam jumps suddenly, or you think your own account is sending it, change your password and tell us. Send the date and sender of one spam message and, if you can, its header text. Never send a password.

How does E-3 handle this?

The question we hear most often here is simply “why am I getting so much spam?” For E-3 email, a person at E-3 can review the server’s spam filter for your mailbox, block persistent senders or domains on the server, and look at messages that were filtered by mistake. If your address is published on your website, we can replace it with a contact form. Call 814-399-4655 or email support@e3help.me. Replies usually come within one business day.

Related questions

• Why are good emails landing in my junk folder?
• How do I spot a phishing email?
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• Why am I not receiving email?