Alphalink has implemented a spam filtering program called SpamAssassin to assess all incoming email. It tries to identify spam emails and tags them with [SPAM] in the subject line. This makes it easier for you to set up a filter in your email program to isolate and delete these messages.

This page contains instructions on how to set up a filter in the following email programs:

• Outlook Express (all versions)
• Outlook 2000 & XP
• Netscape Communicator 4
• Netscape 6 & 7, Mozilla
• Mozilla Thunderbird

If you are not using one of these, check your mail program's help files for instructions. The general method is the same: detect any emails with [SPAM] in the subject as they come in and delete them. Please contact Technical Support for additional assistance if required.

Outlook Express (all versions)

1. Go to the Tools menu and choose Message Rules, then Mail
2. Click New
3. In the first box, put a tick next to "Where the Subject line contains specific words"
4. In the second box, put a tick next to "Delete it from server" (you need to scroll down in the box to find this)
5. The third box will now say something like:
   "Apply this rule after the message arrives
   Where the Subject line contains specific words
   Delete it from server"
   
6. "contains specific words" will be in blue, click on it
7. Another window comes up, in the top box type in: [SPAM]
8. Click Add and it will appear in the bottom box
9. Click OK
10. Under Name of the rule, type in: Spam
11. Click OK
12. Click OK again and you are done

This will cause any email marked as spam to be deleted straight from the server when you check your mail, and so it will not appear in your Inbox.

Outlook 2000 & XP

1. Go to the Tools menu and choose Rules Wizard
2. Click New
3. Select "Check messages when they arrive" and click Next
4. Tick "with specific words in the subject"
5. Click on "specific words" in the Rule description window, and click Next
6. Type in [SPAM] and click Add, then click OK
7. Under "What do you want to do with the message?", tick "permanently delete it"
8. Click Finish and you are done

This will cause any email marked as spam to be deleted when you check your mail, and so it will not appear in your Inbox.

Netscape Communicator 4

1. In Netscape Messenger, go to the Edit menu and choose Message Filters
2. Click New
3. Next to Filter name, type in: Spam
4. "Match any of the following" should already be selected
5. Under that, select the "Subject" of the message "contains" and in the next box type in: [SPAM]
6. Under that, select then "Delete"
7. Click OK
8. Click OK again and you are done

This will cause any email marked as spam to be deleted when you check your mail, and so it will not appear in your Inbox. Unfortunately, Netscape is not capable of deleting the mails straight off the server without downloading them, it will just place them in the Trash folder instead.

Netscape 6 & 7, Mozilla

1. In Mail & Newsgroups, go to the Tools menu and choose Message Filters
2. Click New
3. Next to Filter name, type in: Spam
4. "Match any of the following" should already be selected
5. Under that, select "Subject" and "contains" and in the next box type in: [SPAM]
6. Under "Perform this action", select "Delete the message"
7. Click OK
8. Click OK again and you are done

This will cause any email marked as spam to be deleted when you check your mail, and so it will not appear in your Inbox. Unfortunately, Netscape is not capable of deleting the mails straight off the server without downloading them, it will just place them in the Trash folder instead. You may wish to set up the filter to move the spam to a different folder or to just mark it as read.

Mozilla Thunderbird

1. Click on the Tools menu and choose Message Filters
2. Click New
3. Next to Filter name, type in Spam
4. "Match any of the following" should already be selected
5. Under that, select the "Subject" of the message "contains" and in the next box type in: [SPAM]
6. Under "Perform these actions" scroll down and select "Delete from POP server"
7. Click OK
8. Close the window (click the X in the corner of the window) and you are done.

This will cause any email marked as spam to be deleted straight from the server when you check your mail, and so it will not appear in your Inbox.

Extra Information

The instructions above will set up your email program to automatically delete tagged Spam mails on arrival. You do not have to do it this way - most mail programs have a lot of different options for handling mail. For example, you could move it to a different folder, or just mark it as read. Check your mail program's help files for more information on specific filtering options, as they differ depending on which program you have and what version it is.

If you have any questions or problems about setting up a filter, email Technical Support at support@alphalink.com.au.