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 ?

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'.

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.

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.