UM-Flint ITS Helpdesk - http://www.umflint.edu/helpdesk
How to Configure Spam Filter in Outlook XP and 2003
http://www.umflint.edu/helpdesk/articles/76/1/How-to-Configure-Spam-Filter-in-Outlook-XP-and-2003/Page1.html
Richard Orman

Richard Orman is a Senior Computer Science major at the University of Michigan Flint. Richard works at the ITS Helpdesk located in room 207 MSB and on occasions works with NSS.

 
By Richard Orman
Published on 05/15/2008
 

This Quicknote is written as a tool to assist University of Michigan-Flint Students, Staff, and Faculty in reducing the amount of spam email messages present in their Outlook Inbox.

Before You Begin:

Please note that this Quicknote is compatible with both Outlook XP, and 2003. Also remember that our spam filter is not perfect and will catch most but not necessarily all spam messages.



Setting up the Spam Filter:

A new folder will have to be created in your Outlook Folder List, please follow the steps below to complete this.

  1. In Outlook go to File, and select New.A new menu will appear to the right, and in this menu select Folder.
  2. A “Create New Folder” window will appear, and in this window type in Spam in the “Name” field. In the “Folder Contains:” field make sure Mail and Post Items is selected.Finally under “Select where to place this folder:” select your name at the top and click OK.
  3. Finally you will see that you have a “Spam” folder in your Folder List now.


Now that the folder is created you can now setup the Spam filter, follow the directions below to complete this.

  1. In Outlook go to Tools, and select “Rules and Alerts.”
  2. Click “New Rule…” button at the top of the window.
  3. Click “Start from a blank rule” at the top of the window and click Next.
  4. Check the box that says “with specific words in the message header.”
  5. In the box below labeled “Step2: Edit the rule description” click the link titled “specific words.” In the Search Text window enter in "X-Spam-Flag: Yes" in the “Specify a word or phrase box” and click Add.
  6. The text will now appear below in the “Search List” and select Ok. In the box titled “Step 2:” click the link that says “specified.”
  7. Select the Spam folder you created previously and click Ok.
  8. Click Next on the Rules and Alerts window, confirm that “Turn on this rule” is checked and then click Finish.
  9. Click Ok on the original Rules Wizard.


Using Junk Senders List:

Outlook gives the ability to block known spammers through their junk senders list.The instructions below describe how to setup this functionality.
In Outlook go to the Actions menu, and select Junk Email, then select Junk Email Options.

In the Options window that opened, select Low and Click Ok.

Now if Junk Email is found in your Inbox, right click the message and select “Junk Email” then select “Add sender to Blocked senders list.”

You will no longer get any email from the sender you just specified.