Spam Filtering

Overwhelmed by the amount of spam email that is being received in your IN mailbox?  You can reduce the amount of spam by using the spam filtering tool on the Goshen College mail server.

Follow these instructions to activate spam filtering:

• Start up a web browser and log into GCOnline
• In the Personal Services section, click on the "Spam Filter" link.
• Click "On"
• Follow the instructions on the screen to select your level of protection and activate your spam filter.

New improvements to Spam Filtering on the Mail Server

(September 22, 2009)

As a result of the increased traffic in spam and phishing scams that attempt to persuade you into providing them with your GC username and password, ITS has taken steps to improve the way our mail server handles these types of messages as they come across the mail server. The improvements that have been made will cause the filtering process on the mail server to be more aggressive about flagging such messages as "junk".  Because of this, you will see an increase in the number of email messages landing in your email Junk folder.  However, there is also the possibility that legitimate messages will also be flagged as junk and be put in the Junk mailbox.  Fortunately, the filtering process is "trainable", meaning that you can train it to learn which messages that you receive are junk and which are not junk.  Below are some important steps that you will need to take to ensure that the filtering process is working correctly in your email. Please choose from the below instructions, depending on whether you use Zimbra Mail, Thunderbird, or Mac Mail, or a combination of either.

Zimbra Users:

You will see that the Junk folder is bold with a number next to it if new messages are in it.  You will need to periodically check the Junk folder to ensure that messages that are in it are actually junk messages. If you find a message in the Junk folder that is not junk, click on the message once to select it, then click on the Not Junk icon.  This will train the filtering process to know that similar future messages are not junk.

If you find messages in your Inbox that are junk, click on the message once to select it, then click on the Junk icon.  This will train the filtering process to know that similar future messages are junk.

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Thunderbird Users:

You will first need to change a setting associated with the Junk folder.  Right click the Junk folder and select Properties.  Click to select the option that says, "check this folder for new mail", then click on OK.

You will see that the Junk folder is bold with a number next to it if new messages are in it.  You will need to periodically check the Junk folder to ensure that messages that are in it are actually junk messages. If you find a message in the Junk folder that is not junk, click on the message once to select it, then click on the Not Junk icon.  This will train the filtering process to know that similar future messages are not junk.

If you find messages in your Inbox that are junk, click on the message once to select it, then click on the Junk icon.  This will train the filtering process to know that similar future messages are junk.

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Mac Mail Users:

There is a folder in your folders list called Junk. If you haven't already, tell Mac Mail to use this folder for Junk mail. You can do this by selecting the Junk folder, clicking on the Mailbox menu, and selecting Use This Mailbox For and then select Junk. Once you have done this, quit Mail and restart Mail.

You should now see a folder in the Junk mail section that includes the name of your Goshen College email account. Make sure the items appearing in this Junk mail folder are the same items that appear in your Junk mail folder when you sign on to Zimbra webmail.  The Junk mail folder is a useful tool. You should check here periodically to make sure the messages that appear here belong here. If they do not, click on the message and in the message you will see a toolbar that says "You marked this message as Junk Mail." If this is not junk, click on "Not Junk".

Mac Mail users, also take time to train your Junk mail folder. Make sure to mark Junk Mail messages that appear in your inbox as Junk. To mark a message as Junk, select the message, click on the Message window, and select Mark and then As Junk Mail. The message should now appear in your Junk mail section.

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If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the ITS Help Desk at ext. 7700, or send us an email at helpdeskgoshen.edu