Filtering Spam in Outlook 2000

The mail server at Clayton State University is set to look for potential Spam messages. These messages are marked as "{Spam}" in the subject line. 

Suggestion: Set up a filter in Outlook to move the marked messages to a separate folder. Check that folder periodically to make sure that the messages are, in fact, trash.  After confirming that the messages are Spam, delete them. 

Warning: You SHOULD NOT set Outlook to automatically delete these messages because there is always the possibility that a message could be incorrectly flagged as Spam.  

Instructions for Creating a Filter:

1. To create a rule to move the messages marked as Spam into a folder, click on the Tools menu and choose Rules Wizard.
   
   
    

2. You may already have one or more rules in your list.  Click on New to start the wizard.
   
   
    

3. Make sure that "Check messages when they arrive" is selected, and click Next.
   
   
    

4. Scroll down through the list of conditions and select "with specific words in the subject." The condition should be added to the Rule Description in the lower pane of the wizard.  Click on "specific words" to modify the list of words to look for in the subject.
   
   
    

5. In the Add new textbox, type {Spam?} and click Add.  Click OK to return to the wizard.
   
   
    

6. Make sure that your Rule Description is updated, and click Next.
   
   
    

7. The next step is determining how to handle messages that meet the "spam" criteria.  Select "move it to the specified folder."  Click on "specified" in the Rule Description box to select a folder.
   
   
    

8. You should see a list of your folders.  You can select an existing folder or click on New to create a folder.
   
   
    

9. If you chose to create a new folder, enter a name for the folder and click OK.
   
   
    

10. You may be prompted to add a shortcut to the Outlook Bar.  This is the vertical toolbar that shows up on the left-hand side of the Outlook window by default.  Whether to add a shortcut is a matter of personal preference, either option is fine.
    
    
     

11. You should see your new folder in the folder list.  Select the folder, and click OK.
    
    
     

12. Make sure that the Rule Description is correct, and click Next.
    
    
     

13. The next step is to set any exceptions to the rule.  In this case, you won't have any exceptions so click Next.
    
    
     

14. Give the new rule a name (so that you can identify it in your list of rules).  Check the box labeled "Turn on this rule."  If you check the box to run this rule on messages already in your "Inbox," Outlook will scan the messages currently in your inbox and move any containing "{Spam}" in the subject line to the specified folder.  Click Finish.
    
    
     

15. The new rule should now be displayed in your list of rules.  Click OK.
    
    
     

16. If you selected the option to run this rule on messages already in your inbox, you will see a progress bar indicating that the rule is running.  From that point on, any new messages that you receive with {Spam?} in the subject line will automatically be sent to your "Spam" folder.
    
    
     

 

 

This page has been accessed times since 05/20/2005.