Back to Community Threads
Some trusted email addresses & domains being flagged as Spam
Problem reported by Brantz - 5/12/2026 at 7:33 AM
Resolved
For several months I have been having the problem of some trusted email addresses & trusted domains being flagged as Spam. Some of these are from well established brands / domains like a large pharmacy chain. I've even made Content Filtering rules to direct mail from those same trusted senders to the Inbox but it hasn't helped. I've been keeping current on updates and am now running 9623 (May 7, 2026) on Linux. Can anyone help?
t
terry fairbrother Replied
5/12/2026 at 9:59 AM
add your trusted senders manually into the spam check folder and then add a high minus number, for example, this is the top end of my spam checks


I found that just adding the trusted senders into the options / trusted senders or trusted email wasn't guaranteed to stop them being flagged as spam.
Brantz Replied
5/12/2026 at 11:35 AM
Do you mean like this? Not sure what to put in the "Header" field. Thanks.
t
terry fairbrother Replied
5/12/2026 at 12:55 PM
mines like this



you need to enable spool filtering
Brantz Replied
5/12/2026 at 1:59 PM
Thanks - I'll try that!
Brantz Replied
5/14/2026 at 7:41 AM
I made those additions but am still having the same problem. I don't understand why simply adding "Trusted Domains" and "Trusted Email Addresses" doesn't solve the problem and completely bypass the spam checks.
t
terry fairbrother Replied
5/14/2026 at 9:09 AM
the trusted domains and emails will still go through the spam check, hence adding them into the custom rules to add a heavy negative figure to counteract any scores that are added. It will take a few rules with different settings to get them to the end user

I have requested a feature where a trusted sender should bypass everything, but at the moment that's not the case
Sébastien Riccio Replied
5/14/2026 at 10:21 AM
the trusted domains and emails will still go through the spam check
AFAIK it shouldn't, or what would be the use of trusted domains / senders ?

The only SPAM checks that should be done for trusted domains / senders should be SPF/DKIM/DMARC to avoid spoofs.
Sébastien Riccio
System & Network Admin
t
terry fairbrother Replied
5/14/2026 at 2:57 PM
Sébastien Riccio Replied
5/14/2026 at 5:24 PM
We say that Trusted Senders bypass "most" spam filtering, because while they do bypass things like RBL and URIBL checks
It's a little vague. What are the other things "like RBL and URIBL" checks ? 

Well it seemed to me, historically, that it was bypassing all spam check except SPF/DKIM/DMARC. False memory maybe.
Sébastien Riccio
System & Network Admin
Brantz Replied
5/14/2026 at 6:20 PM
I checked the DMARC of the ones I'm having the most trouble with and they all pass per below.
J
J. LaDow Replied
5/15/2026 at 9:53 AM
From the delivery log (for spool filter rules) and smtp log (for other checks), what are the overall spam scores being assigned?

 -- you might be at least able to see what's triggering them -- that's where I would've started.
MailEnable survivor / convert --
Brantz Replied
5/15/2026 at 12:12 PM
Maybe someone can hep me understand this. I've copied the log below and highlighted that the message passes the Spam, DMARC and DKIM checks, but in the end it is sent to Junk Email. Can anyone please explain what's going on and how to fix this - note that I've already incorporated all of the previous advice provided in this thread:

[2026.05.15] 11:46:48.430 [12504220] Delivery started for bounce-LNUDP7RWVX3UXHISZXGNBNPF44.70247@bounce.e.shoppersdrugmart.ca at 11:46:48 AM

[2026.05.15] 11:46:51.432 [12504220] Added to SpamCheckQueue (1 queued; 0/30 processing)

[2026.05.15] 11:46:51.432 [12504220] [SpamCheckQueue] Begin Processing.

[2026.05.15] 11:46:51.433 [12504220] Blocked Sender Checks started.

[2026.05.15] 11:46:51.435 [12504220] Blocked Sender Checks completed.

[2026.05.15] 11:46:51.527 [12504220] Spam Checks started.

[2026.05.15] 11:46:51.843 [12504220] Unable to run SpamAssassin spam checks on server : No Spam Assassin servers available

[2026.05.15] 11:46:51.843 [12504220] Unable to run SpamAssassin spam checks on server : No Spam Assassin servers available

[2026.05.15] 11:46:51.844 [12504220] Unable to run SpamAssassin spam checks on server : No Spam Assassin servers available

[2026.05.15] 11:46:51.845 [12504220] Unable to run SpamAssassin spam checks on server : No Spam Assassin servers available

[2026.05.15] 11:46:51.846 [12504220] Unable to run SpamAssassin spam checks on server : No Spam Assassin servers available

[2026.05.15] 11:46:52.196 [12504220] Finished running spam checks. Time (non-rbls): 324ms, Time (URIBL/RBLS): 344ms

[2026.05.15] 11:46:52.201 [12504220] Spam Check results: [REVERSE DNS LOOKUP: 0,Passed], [_SPF: -2,Pass], [SPAMHAUS - PBL, SPAMHAUS - PBL2, SPAMHAUS - SBL, SPAMHAUS - XBL, SPAMHAUS - XBL2: 0], [SPAMCOP: 0], [SORBS - ABUSE, SORBS - DYNAMIC IP, SORBS - PROXY, SORBS - SOCKS: 0], [UCEPROTECT LEVEL 2: 0], [UCEPROTECT LEVEL 3: 0], [UCEPROTECT LEVEL 1: 0], [HOSTKARMA - BLACKLIST, HOSTKARMA - BROWNLIST, HOSTKARMA - WHITELIST: 0], [FIVE-TEN: 0], [_DMARC: 0,passed], [_INTERNALSPAMASSASSIN: 1:2], [_DKIM: 0,Pass], [_ARC: none], [_CUSTOMRULES: Trusted Senders eMail Addresses: -1000;Trusted Senders Return Domain Path: -1000;], [URIBL: 0], [SURBL: 0]

[2026.05.15] 11:46:52.201 [12504220] Spam Checks completed.

[2026.05.15] 11:46:52.258 [12504220] Removed from SpamCheckQueue (0 queued or processing)

[2026.05.15] 11:46:54.436 [12504220] Added to LocalDeliveryQueue (1 queued; 0/50 processing)

[2026.05.15] 11:46:54.436 [12504220] [LocalDeliveryQueue] Begin Processing.

[2026.05.15] 11:46:54.520 [12504220] Starting local delivery to brantz@brantz.net

[2026.05.15] 11:46:54.767 [12504220] Skipping spam filtering: Trusted Sender (domain level)

[2026.05.15] 11:46:54.781 [12504220] Message saved to MailProcessing directory for brantz@brantz.net. File name: 12504220-20005-NOID.tmpmsg

[2026.05.15] 11:46:54.781 [12504220] Process delivery status notification step from local recipient success. Recipient: [brantz@brantz.net], Notify: [], Delivered: [True], Forwarded: [False], Deleted: False

[2026.05.15] 11:46:54.781 [12504220] Delivery for bounce-LNUDP7RWVX3UXHISZXGNBNPF44.70247@bounce.e.shoppersdrugmart.ca to brantz@brantz.net has completed (Delivered to Junk Email) Filter: Spam Domains

[2026.05.15] 11:46:54.781 [12504220] End delivery to brantz@brantz.net (MessageID: <309b68ef-156b-4480-b531-f3d992091e7d@atl1s07mta0093.xt.local>)

[2026.05.15] 11:46:54.781 [12504220] Removed from LocalDeliveryQueue (0 queued or processing)

[2026.05.15] 11:46:57.439 [12504220] Removing Spool message: Killed: False, Failed: False, Finished: True

[2026.05.15] 11:46:57.439 [12504220] Delivery finished for bounce-LNUDP7RWVX3UXHISZXGNBNPF44.70247@bounce.e.shoppersdrugmart.ca at 11:46:57 AM        [id:212504220]
David Fisher Replied
5/15/2026 at 3:06 PM
Hi Brantz,

  You have a content filter setup called "Spam Domains", maybe at domain or user level that is moving the email to the Junk Email folder!
Millennium Systems Replied
5/15/2026 at 3:07 PM
[2026.05.15] 11:46:54.781 [12504220] Delivery for bounce-LNUDP7RWVX3UXHISZXGNBNPF44.70247@bounce.e.shoppersdrugmart.ca to brantz@brantz.net has completed (Delivered to Junk Email) Filter: Spam Domains

The user or domain has a Content Filter named 'Spam Domains' that is being triggered and causing the messages to be routed to  Junk Email
Brantz Replied
5/15/2026 at 8:32 PM
Interesting. I do have a domain called ".shop" in the "From Address" content filter that send's messages to junk, but it must be taking that as any part of the address and catching ".shoppersdrugmart.ca" in the process. Literally everything I've ever gotten from the .shop domain has been spam, but I didn't expect this behaviour to extend to other domains. That said, the condition is "Contains Specific Words or Phrases" makes sense as to why it's happening. Any thoughts on how to solve this? Thanks!
t
terry fairbrother Replied
5/16/2026 at 2:28 AM
Marked As Resolution
you need to wrap the word in quote marks to make it specific. my routing rule start like this

"BlueShield"
Foodi
Capaldi
"Enable partner sharing"
"Verified Badge"

so the ones with " " im looking for that phrase, the ones without are looking for that string to appear anywhere

the other thing to do is alter the rule so that another condition is 

Options -  ALL conditions must be set
Conditions - From Domain - Does Not Contain and add shoppersdrugmart.ca

This will then allow your legitimate domain to pass through the filter
Brantz Replied
5/16/2026 at 8:42 AM
I will try those methods - thanks much!
Back to Community Threads

Reply to Thread

Enter the verification text
Related Knowledge Base Articles
Key Feature and Version Milestones in SmarterMailSmarterMail
Sender Verification Shield and Incoming GatewaysSmarterMail > Server Configuration and Management
Messages from Trusted Senders are going to my Junk folderSmarterMail > Troubleshooting
Sender Verification Shield ExplanationSmarterMail > Antispam and Antivirus
Deploying Rspamd For Use With SmarterMailSmarterMail > Server Configuration and Management