IncrediMail Anti spam or Junk Email Features

Incredimail has built in support for the following anti spam or junk email control features:

• Disable Automatic Read receipts
• Disable Scripts and Iframes in messages.
• Block images and other external content in email- build 1284 or higher
• Fake bounce messages.
• Blocked senders list- So called black list
• Approved senders list - So called white list -build 1482 or higher.
• Message Rules.
  

Returning Read Receipts

Three options are possible:

1. Never send read receipt
2. Notify me for each read receipt
3. Always send a read receipt.

For best protection option 2- Notify me for each read receipt is the preferred choice. To configure:

1. go to tools
2. Click options
3. Click Receipts tab
4. Click the appropriate choice. (see above)

Disable Scripts and Iframes in messages

Messages can contain scripts and Iframes which can contain dangerous code and also be used by external tracking software. To disable them:

1. Select Tools menu
2. Click Options
3. Select the Security tab.
4. Under Incoming message ensure that the Disable Scripts and Iframes when loading messages tick box is ticked.It is enabled by default.
5. Click OK.

Image Blocker and Fake bounce

These two mechanisms are both designed to prevent a spammer from verifying your email address with the intention that he will remove you from his spam list.

Image Blocker

HTML messages can contain images either internally or web based. If the image contains an external image it must be downloaded from the Internet when the mail is read. Spammers can use this action as an indication that your email address is valid and active ( see read receipt and email tracking).

The 'Block Images' feature disables the downloading of any external images unless you specifically request it. This increases the chance of fooling spammers into thinking that your email address is not valid and they may  remove your address from their mailing list.

 As a defence IncrediMail will  block external images automatically in messages from people who are not in your address book. To configure

1. Select Tools menu
2. Click Options
3. Select the Security tab.
4. Select External Image Settings.
5. If you want to see a warning (appears at top of email) that external images have been blocked. The warning message lets you also view the images and also to enable external images from that sender. I would recommend that you enable it. It is enabled by default.
6. Click to enable the Block external images check box. It is enabled by default.
7. Click OK.

Fake Bounce Message

If you send email to an invalid address you will receive a bounce message from the final email server informing you that the email address is invalid. You can use this information to correct the email address and resend the email.

Spammers often guess email addresses and wait to receive a bounce message informing them of a correct guess or an incorrect one. The fake bounce message feature is designed to tricking a spammer that he has guessed incorrectly and he will hopefully remove your address from his list.

If you have sent a fake bounce message to a sender then this icon
appears next to the message in the message pane

 Filtering or Blocking Mechanisms

Incredimail supports general message filtering using message rules. This type of filter allows you to control what happens to a message depending on various criteria like attachments, sender etc. The message rule Filter mechanism is by far the most flexible but is also much more difficult to set up and maintain.

Two other filter mechanisms are available they are:

Blocked Senders List or Black list

Here a list of unwanted domains and email addresses is created and any email from anyone on that list is blocked. The blocked senders list is also called a black list.

External black lists are available but the problem tends to be that often non spamming domains appear on the list which blocks email from legitimate domains.

You can add a sender to the blocked senders list by right clicking the message and selecting  blocked sender. You can also manually edit the list by selecting Tools> Blocked senders. You can add/remove individual email addresses or entire domains.

Messages received from anyone on the blocked senders list are automatically deleted.

Approved Senders List or White List

This is the opposite of the black in that it is a list of people that you want to receive messages from. Any one you send an email to is automatically added to the approved Sender's list.

You can add people who send you email  by right clicking the message and selecting- Add to approved senders. You should see this icon
appear next to the message

Filtering with Message Rules

Message Rules can also be used for filtering incoming messages. It is possible to create a rule that will move email with certain words into to the deleted items folder or any other folder of choice.

Incredimail Anti Spam software

Here a some anti spam software providers that offer Incredimail anti spam software.

• Spam Inspector
• Saynotospam
• Spamihilator-- Freeware
• Spamsleuth

	Web www.oeupdates.com

• An Introduction to Spam, Junk Mail, Unsolicited Email
• 5 Top Tips to avoid spam
• phishing spam