Mail ends up in junk folder even though I have a filter... why?
I am running Thunderbird 45.1.1 on a Windoze 7 machine. I am fetching my e-mail from a POP3 server. I have the SPAM Assassin enable on the server. It adds "***SPAM***" to the subject line, but does not delete any email.
I have a Thunderbird filter set to take any mail with "***SPAM***" and move it to a SPAM folder. I have the filter set to stop processing after it moves the message I have that filter set to run before any junk processing.
Why do I find messages with "***SPAM***" as part of the subject in my Junk folder?
This happens on several accounts, and it also happens on another PC [Windoze XP] that is running Thunderbird 45.1.1 and fetches mail from different accounts.
Thanks,
Confused in TX
Réiteach roghnaithe
I have solved the problem; my sanity has been restored!
- Click Tools / Message Filters
- Double-click the filter that appears to be letting message go to "Junk"
- In the "Perform these actions" box, click the "+" on the right side of the last action
- Choose "Set Junk Status to" for the left box
- Choose "Not Junk" for the right box
- Click OK at the bottom
- Close the "Filter Rules" window
- Live happily ever after
I made the change to my SPAM filter, and a couple other filters that I discovered were letting message leak to the Junk folder. I let the attempted fix run for most of a day, and I haven't found any unexplained messages in the Junk folder. I'm quite pleased.
Read this answer in context 👍 0All Replies (7)
Is the filter set to operate "before classification"?
Yes, The "Getting New Mail:" box is checked. It is set to "Filter before Junk Classification"
Pop mail accounts have a 'Junk' folder to receive junk/spam etc emails.
In 'Account Settings' > 'Junk Settings' for pop mail account there is an option: 'Trust junk mail headers set by 'SpamAssassin' If this has been selected then Thunderbird should be putting them into the 'Junk' folder. Have you got this option selected?
It sounds to me like the filter is not running and if you have the option above selected then it results in putting the spam into Junk because it has not as yet been filtered..
I'm presuming you manually create a new folder called 'Spam' in the POP mail account. "Getting New Mail:" box is checked and set to "Filter before Junk Classification" selected 'Match all of the following' Did you set up filter to say: 'Subject' and 'Contains' and enter the word: Spam Move message to: Spam on pop mail account click on OK
Is the filter enabled and positioned at the top of the list ?
Athraithe ag Toad-Hall ar
Toad-Hall said
Pop mail accounts have a 'Junk' folder to receive junk/spam etc emails.
I have all the mail going to folders under the global "Inbox". There is only one SPAM folder - under the Inbox, too. All SPAM goes to that folder
In 'Account Settings' > 'Junk Settings' for pop mail account there is an option: 'Trust junk mail headers set by 'SpamAssassin' If this has been selected then Thunderbird should be putting them into the 'Junk' folder. Have you got this option selected?
No, it is not selected
It sounds to me like the filter is not running and if you have the option above selected then it results in putting the spam into Junk because it has not as yet been filtered..
That's what i was thinking, but a vast majority of the SPAM messages make it to the SPAM folder... only 1 in 50 or so end up in the Junk folder. It's almost as if the Junk processing is happening 1st, but I have that off
I'm presuming you manually create a new folder called 'Spam' in the POP mail account.
Yes, but under the global Inbox
"Getting New Mail:" box is checked and set to "Filter before Junk Classification" selected 'Match all of the following' Did you set up filter to say: 'Subject' and 'Contains' and enter the word: Spam Move message to: Spam on pop mail account click on OK
Pretty much... and selected "Stop Filter Execution" after the move to the SPAM folder
Is the filter enabled and positioned at the top of the list ?
Yes
As you are using a created 'Spam' folder and this is in the 'Local Folders' mail account, you would need to use: 'move message to' and 'Spam on 'Local Folders'.
I would remove the 'Stop Filter Execution' option as the 'spam' message(s) should have been moved.
To see if filter is running make sure the filter log is enabled. Tools > Message Filters Or menu icon > Message Filters > Message Filters
- click on 'Filter Log' button
- select checkbox: 'Enable the Filter Log'
- click on 'Close'
Wait to see if filter runs when you get new mail with 'Spam' in subject. Results will be in the 'Filter Log'.
Réiteach Roghnaithe
I have solved the problem; my sanity has been restored!
- Click Tools / Message Filters
- Double-click the filter that appears to be letting message go to "Junk"
- In the "Perform these actions" box, click the "+" on the right side of the last action
- Choose "Set Junk Status to" for the left box
- Choose "Not Junk" for the right box
- Click OK at the bottom
- Close the "Filter Rules" window
- Live happily ever after
I made the change to my SPAM filter, and a couple other filters that I discovered were letting message leak to the Junk folder. I let the attempted fix run for most of a day, and I haven't found any unexplained messages in the Junk folder. I'm quite pleased.
Athraithe ag syclone1452 ar
Yep, just filtering before classification is not enough. If you want mail to be not junk you have to explicitly make it so. However be aware that you are training Thunderbird's junk filter that spam is not spam by doing so. The result is it will get worse and worse at identifying spam. Instead of getting better and better with training. Is having two spam folders worth it. Personally I would say not.