Yahoo! Blocking your mail server.

A few months ago I had the misfortune of having to deal with Yahoo! blocking my own server from sending mail to their recipients.  I identified this in the end as a typo in my reverse DNS configuration which caused their bulk mailer system to highlight my server as a spammer.  The problem was that once I had corrected the issue, they don’t re-check.  So once you are blocked, you are blocked!!

Make sure your External DNS is configured properly, follow my guide here: http://www.experts-exchange.com/Software/Server_Software/Email_Servers/Exchange/A_2370-Exchange-DNS-Configuration.html

If this happens you will need to apply to be excluded from their Bulk Sender list.  Copy the text below and paste it into a new email.  Do not use attachments as I completed the Word document that Yahoo! sent me and e-mailed it back to them (TWICE!) and their system seemed to strip the attachment.

Complete the IP address, SMTP header information and contact details (right at the end); I would leave the rest the same. And then send it to: mail-abuse-bulk@cc.yahoo-inc.com

Be prepared to send it through at least 3 times before they will action it.  It took me nearly 2 weeks to get them to agree to remove my IP address, especially considering this was a brand new server with a new IP address and I had only actually sent 2 e-mails to a Yahoo! recipient.  I was not happy about having to complete a “bulk sender” application which may have prolonged the agony for me as I argued this fact with them.

I wish you all the best!

"Bulk Sender Application Template"
1. Please provide all ACTIVE IP addresses you are currently using to send mail:

Each IP address:
* IP Address:
* Mail Server Hostname:
* Primary Mail Server, Fail-Over Mail Server, Bulk Mail Server, Etc: Primary Mail Server

NOTE: At this time we can only consider active and correctly configured mail servers/IP addresses for possible addition to the whitelist.

2. Do you have a dedicated IP address or do you use a shared mail server/IP address (i.e., the mail server/IP address is hosted by a service provider and is also being used by organizations other than your own)? If you use a shared server, please specify which service provider you use.

It’s a dedicated IP address for this server.

3. Please indicate all types of email being sent from the servers above, e.g., personal/corporate emails, transactional mailings, mailing list postings, marketing messages, and/or newsletters? (Indicate which IP sends which type of mail, if applicable).

Personal/corporate e-mails

4. If you send periodic or subscription-based mailings, please indicate the means by which a user is signed up for your subscription list.

There is no mail of this type transmitted from this server

a. Do you take any steps to confirm that the subscription is valid, or was initiated by the true owner of the email address?

Not applicable

5. How many subscribers do you currently have? And approximately how many emails do you send on a monthly basis?

Not applicable

6. Do you remove email addresses from mailing list if emails to them bounce–i.e., for soft (4xx) and hard (5xx) SMTP response codes?

Not applicable there are no mailing lists held on this server

a. If yes, how many bounced emails are required before you consider an email address to be inactive and subject to removal from your list?

For soft bounces: Not applicable, I do not run a subscription service

For hard bounces: Not applicable, I do not run a subscription service

7. How long does it typically take for an email address to be removed from your list once an unsubscribe request has been received?

Not applicable, I do not run a subscription service

8. Please provide the URL for your web site and your Privacy Policy. If available, you may also provide URL links to your Affiliate Policy and/or Terms of Use, if applicable.

Not applicable, I do not run a subscription service

9. Please copy and paste a text-only example of a recent mailing, including the full Internet headers. Or, include the entire error message you’re seeing in your SMTP logs if email is being deferred or blocked.

I cannot provide you with internet headers because the message is being bounced by my mail server because it cannot connect to your server to send the message.

10. Where possible, Yahoo! uses DomainKeys to determine the original sender of a message. Do you plan to or currently use DomainKeys to authenticate your mailings?

Not applicable, I do not run a subscription service

(NOTE: Signing emails with DomainKeys does not guarantee whitelist status or inbox placement. It may, however, make your mailings eligible for our Complaint Feedback Loop (CFL) program. Basically, when you’re enrolled in the CFL program, you will be forwarded a copy of the sent email every time a Yahoo! Mail users clicks on the “Spam” button for any of your DomainKey-signed mail. Each complaint should be reviewed and appropriate action should be taken to reduce your complaint rates).

11. Please provide the following contact information:

Company name:

Contact Information (Name and Phone Number):

Postal Address:

Email address:

"Yahoo! Response"
After around 48 hours you will receive the following in an e-mail:
 

Thank you for writing to Yahoo! Mail.

We have made appropriate changes to the IP address you have submitted within our database. However, we cannot fully exempt your mail server from our SpamGuard technology. This should help with delivering mail to the appropriate Yahoo! folders.

Please be aware that Yahoo! Mail users are able to set their own preferences for the manner in which they receive your mailings. If the recipients of your messages want to ensure they receive your emails in their Inbox, you may want to ask them to set up a filter in Yahoo! Mail specifically for your emails, or have them add your email address(es) to their Yahoo! Address Book.

Please refer to the Help page below for more information on our recommended best practices for sending mail from any mail server to Yahoo! Mail users.