SETTING UP A SPAM FOLDER IN MICROSOFT OUTLOOK EXPRESS
Creating a SPAM Folder Creating the "SPAM" folder where the spam will be stored
 
  • The following procedures were tested on Microsoft® Outlook Express® 6.0. However other versions may work the same.

    Note: You can find out which version of Outlook Express you are running by starting the program and then clicking on Help > About Microsoft Outlook Express.

  1. Launch Outlook Express
  2. In your folder list on the left side of the Outlook Express interface, right-click (by using the right mouse button) the "Local Folders" and left-click "New Folder".


  3. In the Folder name: text box, type the name "SPAM" and click "OK".


  4. You should now have a folder called SPAM underneath your Local Folders.
Creating a SPAM Filter Creating a filter to sort SPAM into a folder
 
  • Now that you have a special folder to put all of your unwanted mail (your newly created SPAM folder), you need to create the "filter" for sifting through your email and moving all the SPAM to the new folder.

  • This works bye specifying certain "catch" words or phrases such as the ****SPAM**** that our system tags suspect messages with along with phrases that spammers most often use in their emails that you do not normally use in your personal emails. For example, spammers may use the word "viagra" or the phrase "debt consolidation". We will create a filter to key in on these words and phrases and move all mail containing these words to the SPAM folder for later review. The reason why we move them to a designated folder rather than deleting them outright, is so that sometimes we may catch personal mail that may have been tagged by our system with the ****SPAM****. This way when you are missing an expected email, you can search the SPAM folder to see if it was placed in there. Every once in awhile you will want to delete all the mail in the SPAM folder after quickly reviewing its contents to make sure there are no unread personal emails.
  1. Using your left mouse button click on Tools > Message Rules > Mail.


  2. Click on "New" to bring up the New Mail Rule dialog menu.


  3. The dialog menu below is where you will be spending most of your time managing your custom SPAM filter. This is a very powerful tool and allows you to do much more than just filter SPAM. We will be separating this dialog menu into four parts.
    1. The first section sets the trap for SPAM. We will be focusing on the 2nd and 3rd "Conditions" which relate to words contained in the Subject line and message body. For now, let's set a trap for specific words contained in the "Subject line" by left-clicking the second condition.


    2. The next section tells the trap what you want to do with any email that it catches. We want to "Move it to the specified folder" so left-click the first action.


    3. The third section is where you add specific key words and phrases and define the specific folder you want SPAM moved. First, lets define the specific words and phrases to catch SPAM by left-clicking the "contains specific words" link.
      1. A new dialog box will appear where you can add as many words or phrases as you would like. A good approach is to read you SPAM mail as you receive it in order to choose words that are specific to the SPAM messages that are unlikely to be found in your personal email. But first, lets make sure we put ****SPAM**** in there so that messages that have been tagged as spam for you by our system will get filtered. We have added a few other words below as examples. You may always return to this dialog menu to add new words later but for now you can just put ****SPAM**** if you wish. When you are finished, click "OK".


      2. You may now define where you would like to redirect your SPAM. Lets define which folder we would like our SPAM moved to by left-licking on the "specified" folder link.


      3. A new dialog box will appear allowing you can choose the folder where you would like your SPAM moved. By left-clicking on our "SPAM" folder and clicking "OK" we will be telling our filter to move all mail that contains our previously defined words or phrases to the SPAM folder.

        [NOTE: you will notice that instead of creating a SPAM folder at the initial phase of this tutorial, we could have clicked the "New Folder" button at this stage of the tutorial. Often times there are multiple ways to accomplish the same task.]

    4. Finally, choose a name for the specific rule that you just created. I named the rule "SPAM SUBJECT" to reflect that I am trapping SPAM by using keywords and phrases in the subject line of incoming emails. Click OK and you will be returned to the main menu.


    5. You have just created your first rule and now have two options:


      1. Clicking "OK" will start filtering email. The next incoming email message will be subjected to the keyword and phrase filter you just created. Any emails containing the keywords and phrases in the subject line, will be automatically moved to the SPAM folder.

      2. Clicking "Apply Now" will bring up a new dialog box allowing you to immediately run your rules on the existing email in your inbox. Selecting the "SPAM SUBJECT" rule and clicking "Apply Now" will start the filtering process on all email within your Inbox.


      3. After the filter has completed, you will receive a dialog box indicating that the rules have been applied. Click "OK" , then Close, then "OK" to return to your Inbox.


      4. You are finished!

        You have just created a SPAM filter for the Subject line of emails. It is also possible for you to repeat the process to create a filter for the message body of emails. This is a powerful feature and can also be used to sort other types of emails into specific folders. For example if you received a newsletter or certain bills, you can use key phrases of these items to move them into specially named folders. The limits are endless and as always the choice is yours. The more time you spend in "adjusting" your filter rules, the better SPAM filter you will have.

      Anytime you need to modify your rules simply:

      1. Click on Tools > Message Rules > Mail.


      2. Click on the Subject link in blue.


      3. Add or remove keywords and phrases. Click OK when finished and OK once more to return to your inbox.