Outlook is blocking e-mails but they are NOT on the list to be blocked...

just a note: MS' junk/adult mail filter is REALLY REALLY bad. Not much you can do about it except create a bunch of custom rules. I've downloaded several programs to run with it, but it still doesn't do the greatest job - 1/2 the time it filters emails I sent myself from work for no reason (not on the block list and doesn't contain junk words) - go figure - that's ms for you: my husband has a theory that ms is working with spammers.

What I've got running right now is a rule that checks the sender and if it's not from a friend and it's on the truncated junk mail list (couple of downloads working together for that) it moves them to a folder where I can check them myself. It works about 2/3 of the time. Not the best solution - one of the reasons why I'm planning on learning the OL programming - so I can create a better filter...but that's a few months down the road.

starl - I would definately be interested in anything you come up with. Please keep this question number somewhere and I will keep it open so that you can post to it when you have some news.
traval - I have set up no rules - only what outlook uses right out of the box.

This is why I'm so confused as to how badly it works.

Thanks Guys! (and gals)
duvall

if you don't have rules, then the info provided by traval is the reason behind your problem.

I'll be more than happy to share what I come up with. I don't know how bad it is for you, but I can posts links to the two sites I've used for a temporary fix. One site keeps an updated listing of addresses known for junk mail (it's several thousand long) and the other site has a program that truncates the address so that you block the domain (you CAN create an exception list). I started off with the info from the first site than ran the second program to block the domains. combining that with a list of everyone in my address book, I now only get 1 or 2 pieces of junk mail in my inbox a day.. which is still really bad - but since I have anywhere from 4-11 in my junk mail folder....

If you go ahead and accept travals comment as answer (since he did provide the reason behind your problem) I will add this question to my personal knowledgebase and post when I get my prog done (it WILL be quite a while - I don't know if I will be able to - I can only hope)- or I find a better one. And since I recognize you as a regular, no fears of you not coming back :-)

stari - Can you post those web sites for now?

Thanks,
duvall

Here's one: it truncates the email addies to the domain:
http://www.andersson-design.com/junkurl/index.shtml

here's the other: it's a listing of spammers.
http://www.gaznet.au.com/spam/download.htm

So, what I've done is download this list than run the other program to block the domains. Since this means you may block yourself or friends, I exported my contacts to a csv, opened them in excel than copy/pasted those addresses to the exception list in "junkurl"

The rule I created says that if the email isn't from anyone in my contacts and the name is found on the junkmail or adultmail list, move the file to my junkmail folder. So, on occassion I do get some junkmail, I add them to the junkmail list, run the junkmail url and .. bye-bye!