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Filtering Spam in Outlook 2003/ 2007 — Advanced  
 
Summary: Set up mail filters to decrease junk mail (also known as spam) in your e-mail inbox. This advanced form of filtering allows you to spam "score" and create rules to prevent specific e-mail messages from being tagged as spam.

In the right place? See also basic instructions.

What to do How to do it
1 Determine your preferred minimum spam "score."
  1. Look in the mail headers of your e-mail as follows: With Outlook open, right-click an e-mail message, and select Options.
  2. Scroll through the Internet Headers section to find the X-Spam-Level line. Make a note of the number of asterisks (*) in this line.
  3. Spam messages may have a row of several asterisks; legitimate messages may have one or none. Check several messages to compare scores.
  4. Decide on a number somewhere in between and remember you can change the settings later if the filters are too strict or let in too much spam. (4 or 5 is a good place to start.)
2 Begin creating a new rule.
  1. With Outlook open, open the Tools menu, and then click on Rules Wizard.
  2. Click New.
  3. In the Rules Wizard pop-up menu, select Start from a blank rule.
  4. Click Next > to continue

    Task screenshot
3 Tell the Rules Wizard what to look for.
  1. In the Rules Wizard window, use the scroll bar to view all the available conditions. Select with specific words in the message header.
  2. Click on specific words in the second section of the window.
  3. In the Search Text pop-up window, type: ***** (or the number of *s equal to the number you decided upon). Leave a single space between the colon (:) and the asterisks (*).
  4. Click Add, and then click OK.
  5. Click Next > to continue.

    Task screenshot
4 Tell the Rules Wizard what to do with spam.
  1. In the next Rules Wizard window, use the scroll bar to view all the available actions and select move it to the specified folder.
  2. Click specified in the second section of the window.

    Task screenshot
5 Create a spam mailbox.
  1. In the Rules and Alerts window, click the Inbox icon, and then click New.
  2. In the Create New Folder pop-up window, type Spam in the Name field. Note: If you would like to create an exception rule, skip to step 7.
  3. Click OK to continue.

    Task screenshot
6 Filter existing spam out of your inbox.
  1. In the next Rules and Alerts window, click Finish.
  2. Click Run Rules Now.
  3. Select the ***** check box. You may need to click the Browse button to get to your inbox and spam folder.
  4. Click Apply.
  5. Click Close. Click OK.
  6. To create an exception for a specific e-mail address, continue to Step 7; otherwise, skip to Step 9.

    Task screenshot
7 Create an exception rule.
  1. After creating a new folder for spam, click Next.
  2. Check the box next to except with specific words in the sender's address.
  3. Click specific words in the lower portion of the window.
  4. Type the e-mail address of the person whose mail you want to receive (e.g., gblufin@hotmail.com).
  5. Click OK.

    Task screenshot
8 Filter existing spam out of your inbox.
  1. In the next Rules and Alerts window, click Finish.
  2. Click Run Rules Now.
  3. Select the ***** check box. You may need to click the Browse button to get to your inbox and spam folder.
  4. Click Apply.
  5. Click Close.
  6. Click OK.

    Task screenshot
9 Pay attention to filtered spam.
  1. Incoming e-mail that appears to be spam will automatically be moved to the new folder you created.
  2. It's possible for legitimate e-mail to be marked as spam. Periodically check the contents of the Spam folder to ensure that this has not occurred before deleting its contents.


Questions? Contact the ACT Help Desk, (858) 534-1853.


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Last reviewed/updated on April 25, 2008 (see more info)
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