Our Spam Filtering Policies

You're probably here because you're not a spammer...

If you're here, it means that an email you sent was blocked by one or more of our spam filters and you care enough to actually click on the link in the bounce message. The latter half means you're probably not a spammer, but an unfortunate case of collateral damage. Let's see what we can do for you.

The time spent deleting SPAM costs US businesses $21.6 billion annually.

In an effort to keep spam away from our users, we implement a variety of filters that each return a specific type of error message. In your bounce message, you should see one of the following:

Block Lists in use at effierover.com
Send complaints to the block list maintainer

Message from YOUR_ADDRESS_HERE rejected - see http://njabl.org/

Your mail server has been listed in the njabl blocklist, which we use for filtering. Complaining to us about this rejection is pointless -- not only are we not in control of that list, but even if we whitelist you, you're still blocked at hundreds or perhaps thousands of other mail servers using the same list. You'll need to get yourself removed from the njabl list. Hie yourself over to njabl.org and follow the instructions there.

Rejected Open Relay or Unsecured Formmail - request removal from http://dsbl.org/

Your mail server has been listed in the dsbl blocklist as an open relay or unsecured formmail program. You'll need to get yourself removed from the dsbl list. Step 1: find your open relay or formmail program and fix it (or them). Step 2: hie yourself over to dsbl.org and follow the instructions there. In this case that I may whitelist you temporarily so that you can send mail while you get your problems fixed. Email me at the address below.

Source rejected per http://spamhaus.org

You've been listed by Spamhaus as a veteran, dyed-in-the-wool, menace-to-society spammer. I'm not even sure why you're here. But if you think that doesn't apply to you, try removal at spamhaus.org and see what happens. This is probably the first in a long series of steps you'll need to take in order to have your email accepted around the planet.

Non-standard reject rules in use at effierover.com
Talk to your ISP or mail administrator

I'm ADDRESS_HERE, not you

Your mailer is calling ERI's servers and then identifying itself as ERI's server. This is akin to putting the recipient's address on both the front and back of an envelope. If you think we're going to open that envelope in this day and age, you've got another think coming. Please tell your clueless mail administrator / IT person (and yes, you can tell him/her I said s/he is clueless) to have your mailer identify itself correctly.

Non-valid HELO/EHLO indicates SoBig.F worm as sender. Wormspew rejected.

Your mailer is identifying itself improperly. This is akin to putting half your return address (say, just city and state) on an envelope. In the world we live in, such a piece of mail will be discarded with prejudice by the USPS. Same here. Please ask your mail administrator / IT person to have your mailer identify itself correctly. You can point them to this document rfc 1123 which states very clearly how a mailer should identify itself and this document webopedia: FQDN which describes an FQDN more simply.

SMTP connect refused from TYPE_OF_MACHINE_HERE ref reference.code

It looks like you're trying to mail directly from a dynamic address -- a modem, cable box, dhcp-assigned network pc, etc. The reject message will tell you what kind of dynamic address I think you're coming from. If this is correct, you shouldn't be sending email this way. At a conservative estimate, 60% of the spam problem is because of 0wned Windows machines (compromised by viruses and/or trojans). Please use your provider's mail server; it's better for all of us. By all means contact me if this machine is a legitimate mail server so that we can verify and remove it. Be sure to include the reference code so I can find you in the filters.

Other reject rules in use at effierover.com
Fix it yourself or talk to me directly

CR systems not accepted at this host

Challenge-response systems such as Barracuda, Mailblocks (Mail-block), Spamarrest and the like are clogging up the Internet with useless trash. If you think your CR system is a great idea, please read up on it -- an especially well-written article can be found at tardigrade.net. Drop your CR system -- I will not whitelist people who deliberately add to the spam problem.

Mail sent by spamware is not accepted here

Certain bulk mailers are consistently (and almost exclusively) used by spammers. All the ones I can find are blocked here. I cannot whitelist you based on this; you'll need to find an alternate mailing method. It's a good idea to do so anyway -- I'm not the only one blocking based on your choice of mailer.

Spam received XXXX 99999999; bug.website.com; bug@ or server.name

We got spam from your address space before. Lots of it, in fact, but the final spam that tipped the scale is recorded in this message. If you recognize website.com or server.name as yours, you spammed one of our users. You have serious problems with your mailing list and need to address them pronto. If not, you've been assigned an IP that has spammed profusely in the past. Either way, if you have genuine business with someone hosted here, have them call me and I will whitelist you for the requested recipient address only or remove the block depending on circumstances.

Korea does not restrict spam

Yes, it's unfair to paint an entire country with a broad brush, and I apologize to the clueful sysadmins therein. However, when a country like South Korea has an entire school infrastructure full of open proxies / relays, it's time to block and forget it. If you have genuine business with someone hosted here, have them call me and I will gladly whitelist you.

Contacting Us

Please remember that we don't block email randomly nor do we take filters lightly ... the very nature of the Internet makes blocking necessary. We're not out to get you personally -- so don't rant and rail against us. If you think you've been blocked improperly by OUR servers, by all means email me at postmaster@effierover.com or call at 585-343-0424 and we'll do everything possible to get you out of the spam filters.