Beginners SIG Series – E-Mail Techniques
Illustrated using Outlook Express
Filtering Out Unwanted E-Mail
February 9, 2006
Using FILTERS
What is a Filter? Filtering is a method by which you can block e-mail messages meeting certain specifications - i.e. containing particular (objectionable) words in the subject line or body of the message. You can specify what you want to happen to these messages – i.e. delete, forward, copy, etc.
Create a folder in the folder bar for questionable (filtered) mail – Call it Junk Mail or Unwanted Mail or ???
(Highlight Local Folders, File, Folder, type Junk)
In the Inbox window
Click Tools, Message Rules, Mail
You will see four white boxes. (Box1 and Box 2 have more choices when you scroll down)
Box #
1. Select the Conditions for your rule. Here you specify where OE should look for filtering conditions.
2. Select the actions for your rule. Here you specify what you want to do with the filtered message.
3. Rule description. Here you give the specific details for OE to “watch out for”.
4. Name of the rule. Here type in a descriptive name for this rule in case you want to make changes.
5.
Examples:
Check Where the Subject Line Contains Specific words. (Box 1)
Check Move it to the specified folder . (Box 2)
Click on the words Specified Folder (Box 3)
Choose the Bulk Mail folder or Junk Mail folder or the Deleted folder
Click on the blue words Contains Specific words. (Box 3)
Add words such as: ADV, $, money, free, adult, xxx, Nigeria.
Type in a name for this rule.
Repeat for other conditions (scroll through each option in box 1 and box 2 to see your choices) .
2. Filter mail based on content of message
Use the same technique as the previous step, only filter based on content. Add words such as viagra, vitamins, unsubscribe, Nigeria - whatever mail you do not want to get.
Tools, Message Rules, Mail.,
Check Where the Message Body Contains Specific words. (Box 1)
Check Move it to the specified folder. (Box 2)
Click on the words Specified Folder. (Box 3)
Choose the Bulk Mail folder or Junk Mail.
Click on the words Contains Specific words., (Box 3)
Type words such as: ADV, $, money, free, adult, xxx
3. Specify a “black hat list” – exclude people from whom you do not want to receive mail.
1. Highlight the spam mail in the Inbox.
2. Message, Block Sender.
3. Edit the blocked sender list:.- Tools, Message Rules, Blocked Senders List
4. Set up a "white hat list"
Create Bulk Mail or Junk Mail or use Deleted Items folder
Right Click Local Folder, New.,
Name folder Bulk Mail or Junk Mail.
Tools, Message Rules, Mail.
Name the Rule White Hat List,
Check Where the From Line Contains People.
Check Move to the specified Folder.
Click the words Contains People.
Add everyone in your address book, Click OK
Click Options, Message does not contain the people below, (Think about it)
Click Specified Folder, Select Bulk Mail or Junk Mail or Deleted Items.
Check this specified folder often to keep the message rule up to date. You may have forgotten to add someone. They will show up in the folder and you will want to add them to the White Hat list.
(You will receive e-mail only from these people)
Once you have created and named one or more rules, when you click Tools, Message Rules, Mail you will get a window with a box at the top of the window listing all existing message rules. You can begin a new rule ( Click New) or by selecting an existing rule from the list, you can Edit, Copy, Remove or Apply Now. The details of each rule selected will be shown in the box at the bottom.
Any questions? You can reach me, Barb Resnick, at barbres101@cox.net