Spam is slipping through and I cannot find it in Allowed list

Last updated on March 6, 2023

If you cannot find the message under Allowed (nor under Blocked), SpamDrain hasn't filtered the message. The reason for this could be:

  • The spam is sent to an adress not filtered by SpamDrain. Verify that you don't have any other accounts in your e-mail program.
  • The spam is not in your inbox. SpamDrain only filters your inbox. Yahoo Mail (AT&T), GMail, Hotmail and similar services have a built in spam filter that moves spam to a special junk folder. If you want SpamDrain to filter that mail too you should disable the built in spam filter:
    • For Yahoo Mail (also AT&T) please see this article.
    • In GMail you can set up a filter which matches all mail (enter * in the From field when creating the filter) and bypasses the spam filter (check the Never send it to Spam box).
    • In Hotmail you can set up a rule which matches all senders under Options -> More options -> Rules for sorting new messages. Select Sender's address in the first list and contains in the second. Enter @ in the text field. Finally check the Move to Inbox action and save.
  • You are using POP3/IMAP filtering:
    1. Your email program on your computer or phone locks SpamDrain out.
      Since SpamDrain relies on connecting to your mailbox you need to be sure that no other client is locking SpamDrain out (or that SpamDrain is locking your clients out). For example, sometimes providers doesn't support logging on using IMAP and POP3 at the same time. Then make sure you are using IMAP in both your email client and the SpamDrain filtering.
      Some providers may not support IMAP that well. Then try to switch to POP3 filtering if you are currently using IMAP.
    2. Sometimes your e-mail program may collect the e-mail before SpamDrain gets the chance to filter your address. Unfortunately there is little one can do about this but you could try increase the interval your email program checks for new messages. You could also try disabling PUSH email (sometimes called IDLE) if using IMAP in your email program.
      You could also try switching between IMAP and POP3 filtering and switching between IMAP and POP3 in your email clients.
      If you own your domain you could also try domain filtering instead (SpamDrain+ only)
  • If using domain filtering the spammer may have contacted your e-mail server directly. Make sure to only allow SpamDrain to connect to your mail server. See here for more information.