Sudden problem with Junk Mail filter in Outlook 2003

[Scott]

I've been using Outlook 2003 on this computer for quite sometime now. Like
everyone else, I get quite a bit of spam. The vast majority of these messages
went into my Junk Mail folder, with the occasional spam message sneaking into
my Inbox. When this would happen, I'd add that sender to my blocked list.
Suddenly though, everything is going straight into my Inbox--nothing is being
caught by the filter. I even tried changing the filter settings to only allow
safe senders into my Inbox, but even that didn't stop the spam. I ran
multiple anti-virus scans and spyware scans, and they say my system is clean.
Does anyone have any idea what I can do to get the spam filter working again?
Thanks!

 

[F.H. Muffman]

I've been using Outlook 2003 on this computer for quite sometime now.

Like everyone else, I get quite a bit of spam. The vast majority of
these messages went into my Junk Mail folder, with the occasional spam
message sneaking into my Inbox. When this would happen, I'd add that
sender to my blocked list. Suddenly though, everything is going
straight into my Inbox--nothing is being caught by the filter. I even
tried changing the filter settings to only allow safe senders into my
Inbox, but even that didn't stop the spam. I ran multiple anti-virus
scans and spyware scans, and they say my system is clean. Does anyone
have any idea what I can do to get the spam filter working again?

What's on the Safe Recipients list?

 

[Scott]

What's on the Safe Recipients list?
That's the thing I'm confused by. There are only a few domains that I added
in the Safe Recipients list. I only have the critical day-to-day domains I
deal with in there, yet nothing is getting blocked.

 

[Brian Tillman]

I've been using Outlook 2003 on this computer for quite sometime now.
Like everyone else, I get quite a bit of spam. The vast majority of
these messages went into my Junk Mail folder, with the occasional
spam message sneaking into my Inbox. When this would happen, I'd add
that sender to my blocked list. Suddenly though, everything is going
straight into my Inbox--nothing is being caught by the filter. I even
tried changing the filter settings to only allow safe senders into my
Inbox, but even that didn't stop the spam. I ran multiple anti-virus
scans and spyware scans, and they say my system is clean. Does anyone
have any idea what I can do to get the spam filter working again?
Thanks!

Remove the most recently added Outlook Junk E-mail Filter update and then
use Windows Update to reinstall it.

 

[Scott]

Remove the most recently added Outlook Junk E-mail Filter update and then
use Windows Update to reinstall it.

Brian, what is the easiest way to remove the most recently added Junk E-mail
Filter update?

 

[Brian Tillman]

Brian, what is the easiest way to remove the most recently added Junk
E-mail Filter update?

Add and Remove Programs in Control Panel.

 

[F.H. Muffman]

What's on the Safe Recipients list?

That's the thing I'm confused by. There are only a few domains that I
added in the Safe Recipients list. I only have the critical day-to-day
domains I deal with in there, yet nothing is getting blocked.

Ok... well...

Might one of those domains you put there be one of the addresses you receive
mail *at*?

The purpose of the Safe Recipients list is to put in addresses that messages
are TO that shouldn't be treated as spam.

Why is this useful, you might ask? Well, mailing lists online are generally
addressed not to the user, but to the mailing lists address.

So, lets say you are on a mailing list called (e-mail address removed). You
get mails sent to that list and when it shows up in your Inbox, it shows
To: (e-mail address removed). But, with the amount of spam that comes in not
actually addressed to you in the header, messages like that often get dropped
in Junk. So, you get to add (e-mail address removed) to your Safe Recipients
list so that messages to that list will never be treated as Junk.

Of course, if a piece of actual spam gets sent to the mailing list, well,
you'll get it in your mailbox.

 

[Scott]

Add and Remove Programs in Control Panel.

I had looked in Add/Remove Programs the first time, but I didn't have the
Show Updates check box clicked. I uninstalled the latest filter update and
the reinstalled it through Windows Update. After a restart, I opened Outlook
and the filter still isn't working. Every message still goes straight into my
Inbox. Any other ideas?

 

[Brian Tillman]

I had looked in Add/Remove Programs the first time, but I didn't have
the Show Updates check box clicked. I uninstalled the latest filter
update and the reinstalled it through Windows Update. After a
restart, I opened Outlook and the filter still isn't working. Every
message still goes straight into my Inbox. Any other ideas?

What are your current Junk E-mail filter settings?

 

[Scott]

What are your current Junk E-mail filter settings?
Right now I have it set to "Safe Lists Only." I usually have it set on high,
but when this problem started, I bumped it up to the next level to see if
that would work; obviously, it didn't.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Right now I have it set to "Safe Lists Only." I usually have it set
on high, but when this problem started, I bumped it up to the next
level to see if that would work; obviously, it didn't.

Have you tried a Detect and Repair? Have you tried SCANPST? Have you tried
a new mail profile?

 

[F.H. Muffman]

What are your current Junk E-mail filter settings?

Right now I have it set to "Safe Lists Only." I usually have it set on
high, but when this problem started, I bumped it up to the next level
to see if that would work; obviously, it didn't.

And the question I asked? Is your domain/mailbox on the Safe Recipients
list?