OUTLOOK SPAM TUTORIAL MS Outlook MS Outlook Express Programs Links Purpose: This tutorial is designed to provide a quick and easy way to filter your unwanted junk email, often referred to as SPAM (Self Promotional Advertising Message). Similar to junk mail that you find in your residential mailbox, you will probably receive unwanted junk mail in your email box as well. By following the steps below for either Outlook or Outlook Express, you will be able to redirect unwanted emails from your "inbox" to a "SPAM" directory for later review or deletion. Don't have Outlook? Download the latest Internet Explorer which is bundled with Outlook Express for FREE by following this link. Cost: Free, nothing to purchase. Time: 10 Minutes Requirem ents: Ability to navigate Outlook or Outlook Express and use the copy and paste commands. Creation of a SPAM Filter MICROSOFT OUTLOOK 2000 The basis for this proceedure is to use "catch" words or phrases that spammers use in their emails that you do not normally use in your personal emails. For example, spammers may use the word "MLM" or the phrase "debt consolidation". We will create a filter to key in on these words and phrases and move all mail containing these words to the SPAM folder for later review. The reason why we move them to a designated folder rather than deleting them outright, is so that we catch any personal mail that may have been trapped by the filter. Every once in awhile you will want to delete all the mail in the SPAM folder after quickly reviewing its contents to make sure there are no unread personal emails. The following proceedures were tested with Outlook 2000 which is bundled with the Office 2000 software suite. You can determine your
version by opening Outlook and clicking on Help > About Microsoft Outlook. 1. Open Outlook by double-clicking on the Outlook icon located on your desktop. 2. Click on Tools > Rules Wizard. 3. Click on New. 4. Click on "Check messages when they arrive" and then Next >.
5. First, click the box next to "with specific words in the subject" - later you may want to repeat this exercise clicking "with specific words in the body". Second, click the specific words link in the bottom text box.
[Note the many different conditions that allow you to set up specific rules in handling your email. The "Rules Wizard" is a very powerful tool that is worthy of spending some time learning its capabilities] 6. A new dialog box will appear where you can Add as many words or phrases as you would like. A good approach is to read you SPAM mail as you receive it in order to choose words that are specific to the SPAM messages that are unlikely to be found in your personal email. I have added "lose weight" as an example. You may always return to this dialog menu to add new words later so don't worry about being too comprehensive. When you are finished, click OK and then Next >.
7. First, click "move it to the specified folder". Second, click the "specified" link in the bottom text box. 8. First, highlight the "Inbox" by clicking once. Second, click the "New" button.
9. Type "SPAM" in the "Name:" text box and click OK. 10. Click "OK" and then "Finish" in the next dialog box.
11. Click "Rename..." to rename the rule we just created. 12. Erase "lose weight" and choose a name for the specific rule that you just created. I named the rule "SPAM Subject" to reflect that I am trapping SPAM by using keywords and phrases in the subject line of incoming emails. Click "OK" and you will be returned to the main menu.
13. You have just created your first rule and now have two options: 1. Clicking "OK" will start filtering email. The next incoming email message will be subjected to the keyword and phrase filter you just created. Any emails containing the keywords and phrases in the subject line, will be automatically moved to the SPAM folder. 2. Clicking Run Now will bring up a new dialog box allowing you to immediately run your rules on the existing email in your inbox. First, select the "SPAM Subject" rule. Second, "Browse" to your "Inbox" folder. Third, click "Run Now" which will start the filtering process on all email within your Inbox.
3. A dialog box will display the status of the filter as it scans your email. 4. When complete click "Close".
5. You are finished. You have just created a SPAM filter for the Subject line of emails. You may want to repeat the process to create a filter for the message body of emails. Over the next few days and weeks you will need to modify your rules by adding or removing keywords and phrases. The more time you spend in "tweeking" your filter rules, the better SPAM filter you will have. Anytime you need to modify your rules simply: 1. Click on Tools > Rules Wizard. 2. Click on the Subject link in blue - in this case lose weight.
3. Add or remove keywords and phrases. Click OK when finished and OK once more to return to your inbox. FOR MORE INFORMATION CLICK HERE Creation of a MICROSOFT OUTLOOK EXPRESS Creation of a designated "SPAM" folder
SPAM Folder The following proceedures were tested on Microsoft Outlook Express 6.0. You may obtain this program for free by downloading (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/default.asp) and installing Microsoft's Internet Explorer which comes bundled with Outlook Express. You can find out which version of Outlook Express you are running by starting the program and then clicking on Help > About Microsoft Outlook Express. 1. Open Outlook Express by double-clicking on the icon located on your desktop 2. In your folder list on the left side of the Outlook Express interface, right-click (by using the right mouse button) the "Local Folders" and select left-click "New Folder". 3. In the Folder name: text box, type the name "SPAM" and click "OK".
4. You should now have a folder called SPAM underneath your Local Folders. Creation of a SPAM Filter Creation of the filters used to screen out SPAM Now that you have a special place to dump all of your unwanted mail (your newly created SPAM folder), you need to create the "filter" or mechanism of sifting through your email and moving all the SPAM to the new folder. The basis for this proceedure is to use "catch" words or phrases that spammers use in their emails that you do not normally use in your personal emails. For example, spammers may use the word "sex" or the phrase "debt consolidation". We will create a filter to key in on these words and phrases and move all mail containing these words to the SPAM folder for later review. The reason why we move them to a designated folder rather than deleting them outright, is so that we catch any personal mail that may have been trapped by the filter. Every once in awhile you will want to delete all the mail in the SPAM folder after quickly reviewing its contents to make sure there are no unread personal emails. 1. Using your left mouse button click on Tools > Message Rules > Mail.
2. Click on "New" to bring up the New Mail Rule dialog menu. 3. The dialog menu below is where you will be spending most of your time managing your custom SPAM filter. This is a very powerful tool and allows you to do much more than just filter SPAM. We will be separating this dialog menu into four parts.
1. The first section sets the trap for SPAM. We will be focusing on the 2nd and 3rd "Conditions" which relate to words contained in the Subject line and message body. For now, lets set a trap for specific words contained in the "Subject line" by left-clicking the second condition. 2. The next section tells the trap what you want to do with any email that it catches. We want to "Move it to the specified
folder" so left-click the first action. 3. The third section is where you add specific key words and phrases and define the specific folder you want SPAM moved. First, lets define the specific words and phrases to catch SPAM by left-clicking the "contains specific words" link. 1. A new dialog box will appear where you can add as many words or phrases as you would like. A good approach is to read you SPAM mail as you receive it in order to choose words that are specific to the SPAM messages that are unlikely to be found in your personal email. I have added a few words below as an example. You may always return to this dialog menu to add new words later so don't worry about being too comprehensive. When you are finished, click "OK".
2. You may now define where you would like to redirect your SPAM. Lets define which folder we would like our SPAM moved to by left-licking on the "specified" folder link. 3. A new dialog box will appear allowing you can choose the folder where you would like your SPAM moved. By left-clicking on our "SPAM" folder and clicking "OK" we will be telling our filter to move all mail that contains our previously defined words or phrases to the SPAM folder. [NOTE: you will notice that instead of creating a SPAM folder at the initial phase of this tutorial, we could have clicked the "New Folder" button at this stage of
the tutorial. Often times there are multiple ways to accomplish the same task.] 4. Finally, choose a name for the specific rule that you just created. I named the rule "SPAM SUBJECT" to reflect that I am trapping SPAM by using keywords and phrases in the subject line of incoming emails. Click OK and you will be returned to the main menu. 5. You have just created your first rule and now have two options: 1. Clicking "OK" will start filtering email. The next incoming email message will be subjected to the keyword and phrase filter you just created. Any emails containing the keywords and phrases in the subject line, will be automatically moved to the SPAM folder. 2. Clicking "Apply Now" will bring up a new dialog box
allowing you to immediately run your rules on the existing email in your inbox. Selecting the "SPAM SUBJECT" rule and clicking "Apply Now" will start the filtering process on all email within your Inbox. 3. After the filter has completed, you will receive a dialog box indicating that the rules have been applied. Click "OK", then Close, then "OK" to return to your Inbox. 4. You are finished! You have just created a SPAM filter for the Subject line of emails. You may want to repeat the process to create a filter for the message body of emails. Over the next few days and weeks you will need to modify your rules by adding or removing keywords and phrases. The more time you spend in "tweeking" your filter rules, the better SPAM filter you will have. Anytime you need to modify your rules simply:
1. Click on Tools > Message Rules > Mail. 2. Click on the Subject link in blue. 3. Add or remove keywords and phrases. Click OK when finished and OK once more to return to your inbox. MORE INFO Read below for more information and valuable links. This tutorial just scratches the surface when it comes to dealing with SPAM and the powerful tools that Microsoft has recently introduced into Outlook
and Outlook Express. For example, you can use rules to: sort your friends or colleagues emails into their own folders sort out dangerous viral-prone emails containing attachments forward specific messages to your other email address or a group of friends prioritize emails using a color code delete email from specific senders If you are not comfortable managing the filters included in Outlook and Outlook Express, you may refer to the programs of interest below. Programs of interest: E-MAIL FILTERS SPAM FILTER: A program that periodically or on demand checks your pop email account for Spam SPAM GUARD: The Spam Guard Network is an email filtering service. E-MAIL BLOCKERS DIGIPORTAL: Arguably the best anti-spam tool available. This is not a filter but a permission-based email blocking system. Its simple, effective, inexpensive, and reduces your junk mail to ZERO. Click on the link to try a 14day free trial. POP-UP AD FILTER MEAYA POP-UP FILTER: works with Internet Explorer to stop all unsolicited pop-up ads while browsing the web. Links of interest: SPAM.ABUSE.NET : One of the best sites for information concerning the fight against SPAM. WWW.SPAMLAWS.COM: Description of SPAM laws all over the world. WWW.MICROSOFT.COM: Outlook Express Support Center. WWW.MICROSOFT.COM: Outlook Support Center. DEATH TO SPAM: An in-depth guide to dealing with SPAM.
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