We hate spam. We really do. (Doesn't everyone?) To try to keep spam levels down, we've implemented a bunch of filters to block as much as we can. Unfortunately, nobody's perfect and we occassionally block email from our friends too. This page lists all of the messages our server sends when it blocks email so you can read about what the filter is and why you were blocked.
If you're a friend and your email has been blocked, we're sorry. We really are. It wasn't personal. Please use the form at the bottom of this page to let us know about it. We'll fix our filters so you never get blocked again.
Timeout. Talk faster next time.
Our server can only wait so long for your server to send information. If your connection (or your server) is too slow, our server will hang up after a while. Lots of spam software seems to connect and just wait forever, so we have to give up at some point or we'll end up connected to everyone.
Too many recipients. Try the remaining addresses again later.
Our server will only allow incoming messages to be addressed to a small number of recipients, because spammers love to send a single message to thousands of addresses over the same connection. You shouldn't have seen this message -- your mail server should have silently tried to resend your message to the blocked recipients.
NOTE: This filter has NOTHING to do with the number of addresses you use on the "To:" line of your message. This filter only blocks commonly exploited email delivery loophole by forcing your server to retry delivery to some recipients if there are a bunch.
Improper recipient address. Try supplying a domain name.
For some reason, your mail server isn't giving the domain name of the recipient. For example, it's trying to deliver to "joe" instead of "
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". Without the domain name, we can't get the email to the correct person. Spammers do this a lot, assuming that our server will find someone named "joe" and deliver the spam to him. We don't do that.
Your address has been graylisted. Try again later.
Our server will only allow incoming messages from people who have sent messages in the past. If you've never sent a message to our user before, our server will ask yours to try again later, just to make sure it's serious. Spammers won't try again later, so this blocks a lot of spam.
Refused. You have no reverse DNS entry.
Every server on the internet should have a reverse DNS entry, especially mail servers. If you don't know what this means, you shouldn't be running a mail server. Seriously, if you don't know this, what else should you know?
Our mail server checks for reverse DNS entries. Any email coming from a server without one is blocked. This stops a lot of email from servers that shouldn't be sending email, such as virus-infected home computers on cable modems.
Refused. Your reverse DNS entry does not resolve.
Your server has a reverse DNS entry but it doesn't resolve. In other words, it's claiming to be someone it's not. Our server is going to block your email until your server correctly identifies itself.
To look up your mail server's reverse DNS, use AOL's rDNS tool: www.postmaster.aol.com/tools/rdns.html.
We make sure the remote server's rDNS name resolves. This test only attempts to get at least one IP address from the name. It does not require the rDNS name's IP address to match the remote server's IP address. For example, if the remote server's IP address is 11.22.33.44 and its rDNS name is mail.example.com, this test will query mail.example.com. Even if it resolves to 66.77.88.99, the test will pass. Note: The name localhost is handled specially. If the rDNS name is localhost and the IP address is not 127.0.0.1, the test fails.
Refused. Your reverse DNS entry contains your IP address and a country code.
Your server's reverse DNS entry contains its IP address and ends in a two-character country code. For example, if your IP address is 11.22.33.44 and your reverse DNS entry is 11.22.33.44.example.com.us, our server is going to block your email. IP addresses in reverse DNS entries usually indicate servers that shouldn't be sending email -- just the kind of server a spammer would use. Country codes are checked because we don't know how to say "dynamic" in every language on earth.
Just change your reverse DNS entry to something meaningful.
To look up your mail server's reverse DNS, use AOL's rDNS tool: www.postmaster.aol.com/tools/rdns.html
Refused. Your reverse DNS entry contains your IP address and a banned keyword.
Your server's reverse DNS entry contains its IP address and a keyword that indicates its IP address was assigned dynamically. For example, if your IP address is 11.22.33.44 and your reverse DNS entry is 11.22.33.44.dynamic.example.com, our server is going to block your email. IP addresses in reverse DNS entries usually indicate servers that shouldn't be sending email -- just the kind of server a spammer would use.
Just change your reverse DNS entry to something meaningful.
To look up your mail server's reverse DNS, use AOL's rDNS tool: www.postmaster.aol.com/tools/rdns.html
Refused. You are not following the SMTP protocol.
Your server is not following the SMTP protocol. As soon as it behaves, our server will accept your email.
Refused. Your domain name is blacklisted.
You (or someone else) have sent us so much spam that we've added your domain name to our blacklist. Sorry about that, but we've had enough and we don't know what else to do.
Refused. Your IP address is blacklisted.
Your server has sent us so much spam that we've blacklisted your IP address. This block is temporary, usually only a few days, to give you time to think about what you've done and repent your evil ways. If you persist, we'll block your domain name.
Refused. Your sender address has been blacklisted.
You (or someone else) have sent us so much spam from the same email address that we've blacklisted your email address specifically, no matter where the email comes from.
Refused. Mail is not being accepted at this address.
Some of the addresses on our server get so much spam that we've just closed them down. The address you're sending to is one of those. Stop sending email to it, please.
We also check the SORBS DUHL and Zombie RBL lists. You should check to make sure you're not on those: www.sorbs.net/lookup.shtml
If you still feel like you are being unfairly blocked for some reason then please contact us and we will see what we can do.
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