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Outlook Express 5/6 Spam Filter


UPDATE: This method of filtering spam is not as effective as it once was. Spammers are changing their methods and to get around this type of filter, they now put 5 or 10 addresses in the "CC:" field.

Outlook Express 5.0 and higher has a powerful feature called "Message Rules". By carefully configuring these message rules, you can effectively filter out many of the spam emails that arrive in your mailbox.

This technique relies on the fact that in many cases, your e-mail address is contained in the BCC field (Blind Carbon Copy) of the junk e-mail. Knowing this, we can create a filter that will move or delete any e-mail that DOES NOT have your address in the TO: or CC: fields. In other words, if it's not directly TO: you, it's junk.

You may find that some mailing lists you are subscribed to may end up being filtered. You can always configure another message rule to route them properly.

OK, here we go. Here is how to set up a spam filter message rule in Outlook Express 5.0/6.0
 

  1. In Outlook Express, right-click on Local Folders and left-click on New Folder. (If you don't see Local Folders, go to File | Folder | New.)
  2. For the new folder name, type something like Spam or Junk Mail. click OK.
  3. Now click on Tools | Message Rules | Mail.
  4. On the Mail Rules tab, click New.
  5. In the #1 box, scroll down and check "Where the To or CC contains people".
  6. In the #2 box, check "Move it to the specified folder".
  7. In the #3 box, click on the blue text "contains people".
  8. Type your Hevanet login name in the box and click Add.
  9. Click the Options button. Change the dot to the second option: "Message does not contain the people below". Click OK. Click OK again.
  10. In the #3 box, click the blue text "specified". Select your Spam or Junk Mail folder and click OK.
  11. In the #4 box, change the name of the rule to Spam Filter.
  12. In the #3 box, your Rule Description should read as follows:
      13. "Apply this rule after the message arrives. Where the To or CC line does not contain 'Hevanet_login_name' Move it to the Spam folder."
  13. Click OK and OK again. You are now ready to try out your new Spam filter. From now on, unless an e-mail is addressed to you directly, it will end up in your Spam folder. You can check this folder's contents periodically for any legitimate mail and delete the rest of the junk permanently.
Happy Spam hunting!