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Why am I receiving so much spam in my Inbox?

You can generally expect Cloudmark Desktop to automatically block at least 90 percent of spam, phishing, and email-borne viruses.

Cloudmark Desktop is working properly if it automatically blocks at least 90 percent of the messages described above. It is normal to occasionally find spam or phishing messages in your mailbox; just click the Block button to eliminate them.

If you feel that Cloudmark Desktop is not automatically blocking at least 90 percent of spam, phishing, and email-borne viruses, follow the steps below:

Related Topics

• My accuracy seems poor. How can I troubleshoot it?
• Newsletters or other legitimate messages are being moved to my Junk E-Mail folder.
• FAQ: What is spam? Should I block this newsletter I don't want anymore?
• FAQ: What is phishing?
• FAQ: What are email-borne viruses?

How to improve accuracy

1. Use the Block and Unblock buttons.

   The more actively and accurately you apply these buttons, the less spam and phishing you will receive.

2. Make sure you are using the latest version of Cloudmark Desktop.

   Open the Cloudmark menu and select "Check for Updates" in order to get the latest version.

3. Make sure you are not using an application that modifies the body of incoming email messages.

   Cloudmark Desktop scans the body of each message. Modifications or additions to the body or attachments of an incoming email message may interfere with accurate scanning. This includes corporate security footers, content inserted by other anti-spam and anti-virus applications, and advertisements inserted by free email services. Most such applications allow you to turn this feature off to avoid interfering with Cloudmark's accuracy.

4. Use the Scan Folder Now command on folders that contain spam and phishing.

   Occasionally, spam or phishing may be blocked by the Cloudmark community after it has already been delivered to you. When you manually scan a folder, the newest feedback from the community is applied, cleaning up missed spam and phishing messages.

5. If false positives (legitimate messages incorrectly filtered as spam) are the problem, make sure you are not using the Junk E-mail folder.

If your accuracy is still less than 90 percent, follow the procedure for the email type you are using:

• POP
• IMAP
• Exchange
• HTTP

How to improve accuracy for a POP email account

1. In Outlook or Outlook Express, open the Tools menu and select Options > Mail Setup > Send/Receive.
2. Set "Schedule an automatic send/receive every" to "30 minutes"

   This ensures that the Cloudmark community has time to accumulate sufficient data about new spam and phishing attacks before they reach your computer. You can still receive email before the end of any 30-minute interval by pressing F9.

How to improve accuracy for an IMAP email account

1. In Outlook or Outlook Express, open the Tools menu and select Send/Receive > Send/Receive Settings > Define Send/Receive Groups.
2. Select the group (such as All Accounts) that contains your IMAP account.
3. Click Edit.
4. In the Accounts list, click your IMAP account.
5. In the Folder Options list, select each folderin your IMAP account and select "Download complete item including attachments."
6. Click OK to close the Send/Receive Settings window.
7. Click Close to close the Send/Receive Groups window.

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How to improve accuracy for an Exchange email account

1. If your spam problem is occurring in a public folder, make sure that the messages are in an email format and not Exchange folder posts.

   If you are not sure of the difference, consult your email administrator.

2. Close Outlook or Outlook Express at night.

   This allows the Cloudmark community to accumulate more spam reports before you download you email. If you receive most of your spam and phishing at night, this practice can significantly improve accuracy.

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How to improve accuracy for an HTTP email account

1. In Outlook or Outlook Express, open the Tools menu and select Options > Mail Setup > Send/Receive.
2. Select All Accounts.
3. Click Edit.
4. Select your HTTP or Hotmail account.
5. Select the Inbox, spam folder, and all other folders that receive email moved by rules. (Other folders may be selected too.)
6. Select "Download complete item including attachments."
7. Click OK.
8. Restart Outlook or Outlook Express.
9. Each time you start Outlook or Outlook Express, open your HTTP Inbox immediately (within 30 seconds).

   This allows Cloudmark Desktop to scan your email.

Last updated: 2008-12-18 12:35:48

Keywords: scan, filter, spam, accuracy, junk

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