In an effort to make managing email more efficient, the network support team has introduced a new SPAM filtering solution. This solution will monitor both inbound and outbound emails to determine what emails are legitimate for our system. It will then use a formula to determine whether certain inbound emails are considered SPAM. Once it has identified an email as SPAM, it will add a 'Tag' to the subject in the following format : [Suspected ~SPAM~]

Because the filter will only TAG emails, no email will be rejected or lost due to their potential SPAM content. Again, they will simply be tagged with a reason for why it was considered SPAM. Click here for an explanation of the filtering rules.

This will allow users to take appropriate action when they receive potential SPAM emails. Users will be able to setup an Outlook rule which key in on the ~SPAM~ keyword and will move the item to a designated folder. This will also allow users to communicate to the network support team legitimate emails that are being tagged as SPAM. The network support team can then designate certain domains (e.g. follett.com, microsoft.com, towson.edu) as legitimate. This will help cut down on mailing lists from legitimate sources from being considered SPAM.

These instructions were updated in February 2006 to show Microsoft Outlook 2003 screen views and menu items.

Messages in your Inbox that have been tagged will look like the graphic below:

Step 1: Forward legitimate emails to legitimatemail@bcps.org:

1. If a message in your Inbox has a been tagged as suspected Spam but it is legitimate mail forward the entire message to legitimatemail@bcps.org.
2. Highlight the message in your Inbox and click the Forward button or right click on the message and select Forward.
3. Type legitimatemail@bcps.org in the To: box and then click Send. (see graphic below)
   
4. If the mail is indeed Spam you have several choices to make. You can:
   1. Simply delete the email.
   2. Add the sender to the Junk Sender's list. Click here for directions.
   3. Forward the entire mail message to blockmail@bcps.org. Please note that Spammers usually do not use the same email address twice so you may continue to get Spam from the same sender even after forwarding the message.
      • Highlight the message in your Inbox and click the Forward button or right click on the message and select Forward.
      • Type blockmail@bcps.org in the To: box and then click Send. (see graphic below)
        

Step 2: Create an Outlook rule to move suspected Spam: (optional)

The Department of Technology recommends that you follow the steps below to create a rule that will remove suspected Spam from your Inbox and place these messages into another folder. This will allow users to look through the suspected Spam when they have time and when they are not in a situation where students may see mail of an objectionable nature.

1. Open up your Outlook account and go to the Tools menu and select Rules and Alerts. (see graphic below)
   
2. Click on the New Rules button (see graphic below)
   
3. Select Start creating a rule from a template and then click Next (see graphic below)
   
4. Remove the check from the from people or distribution list. (see graphic below)
   
5. Scroll down and put a check in the box next to with specific words in the subject or body then click on the specific words link in the Edit the rule description box. (see graphic below)
   
6. Type ~SPAM~ in the Specify words box then click Add. (see graphic below)
   
7. Now click OK. (see graphic below)
   
8. Click on the specified link in the Edit the rule description box (see graphic below)
   
9. Click on New. (see graphic below)
   
10. Type SPAM in the name box and then click OK. (see graphic below)
    
11. Click on OK. (see graphic below)
    
12. Click Next. (see graphic below)
    
13. Verify that move it to the specified folder box is checked and click Next. (see graphic below)
    
14. Click Next. (see graphic below)
    
15. If you want to move any mail with the ~SPAM~ tag already in your Inbox to the newly created SPAM folder click the check box next to Run this rule now on messages already in "Inbox". Then click Finish. (see graphic below)
    
16. You will see the rule process. It may take several moments. (see graphic below)
    
17. Click on OK to close Rules and Alerts. (see graphic below)
    
18. With this new rule turned on all messages marked with the ~SPAM~ tag will be placed in the SPAM folder. From time to time users should check the SPAM folder to see if any legitimate mail was placed there. The graphic below shows how to access the SPAM folder.
19. Click on Mail (indicated by the red arrow) to display mail folders above.
20. Be sure the box before Mailbox - last name, first name is opened. (Indicated in graphic below by the number one.)
21. Be sure the Inbox is opened. (Indicated in graphic below by the number two.)
22. Finally the SPAM folder is seen. (Indicated in graphic below by the number three.)
23. Click on the SPAM folder to display contents.
    

Reason: Keyword
Keyword checking is a method that allows keywords to be configured which indicate if a mail is SPAM. A majority of SPAM messages use the same type of words in their advertising efforts.

Reason: Header
Header checking is a method that checks the From field, To field, and message body and looks for irregularities. These irregularities
are tricks employed by spammers to avoid detection.

These links provide support for various BCPS systems.

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