Serious Issue: Missing Activation E-Mails

**Man1c M0g** · 02-09-2006

A number of users on the Hotmail and Yahoo networks have reported that the forum e-mails are not actually reaching their inbox at all. In fact, they don't even arrive marked as spam or in the 'bulk-mail' folders either! To my knowledge, BioRUST is not on any RBL lists, and e-mails arrive fine to other hosts, so this must be something unique to Yahoo/Hotmail. This is a recent development and I am looking for a speedy resolution as we speak.

I would appreciate help from an expert administrator of mail servers. If there is anyone out there who can examine my current set-up and suggest any reason why spam-scanners would reject my automatic mails out of hand, I would definately be willing to reward them for their help!

In the meantime, you are all welcome to contact me privately if your activation e-mail doesnt arrive, and I'll authenticate your user accounts manually. Just tell me your username and I'll get you sorted ASAP!

UPDATE: Ok, I've made some pretty extensive changes to the mail sending system that BioRUST uses. I've managed to get an e-mail sent to a test yahoo.com mail account 100% of the time now... even though it ends up in 'Bulk Mail'. I believe this is the best that we can do, but please contact me if your activation mail doesn't arrive and I'll pull my hair out some more...

cybertoon90 · 02-10-2006

i registered on this forum with a hotmail account.the only thing is that when i got the activation link it was in the spam section.i have proof if u dont believe me.if u wana see a screenshot i can show u.

**Man1c M0g** · 02-10-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by cybertoon90

i registered on this forum with a hotmail account.the only thing is that when i got the activation link it was in the spam section.i have proof if u dont believe me.if u wana see a screenshot i can show u.

Don't worry - I believe you! I'm just glad it arrived. It seems that Yahoo is going one step further - nothing ever arrives! :/

zapphnath · 02-10-2006

I find it odd that Yahoo is stopping anyone's emails from going through. On those rare occassions that I actually check my Yahoo-mail, there are hundreds (and hundreds) of garbage emails in my Bulk folder. It doesn't seem, to me, that Yahoo is blocking anything from showing up. (But, that could be just me).
On the other hand, my main account, through my ISP, never even notifies me that I've even received any spam - but BioRust notifications show up, no problem.

**Man1c M0g** · 02-10-2006

Ok, I've made some pretty extensive changes to the mail sending system that BioRUST uses. I've managed to get an e-mail sent to a test yahoo.com mail account 100% of the time now... even though it ends up in 'Bulk Mail'. I believe this is the best that we can do, but please contact me if your activation mail doesn't arrive and I'll pull my hair out some more...

goose99ash · 02-10-2006

Yeah, my email arrived in my hotmail inbox within seconds. must have got it working better now

...unless it just happens to certain people, depending on their junk restrictions?

**Man1c M0g** · 02-10-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by goose99ash

Yeah, my email arrived in my hotmail inbox within seconds. must have got it working better now

...unless it just happens to certain people, depending on their junk restrictions?

Well, before the e-mail was sent using vbulletin's internal mail system... but now it all goes to an SMTP server which SHOULD authenticate itself properly and not appear as a spammer to all but the most pedantic scanners.

PS. Many thanks for saying that it works ok though goose... its good to know that stuff is working properly again from hotmail...

linbash · 02-16-2006

I had the same problem and didnt get it so i changed to a different email account and now all is good.

ConceptualMind · 02-19-2006

What does the activation message say? Some of the diction could be setting off spam alarms.

**Man1c M0g** · 02-19-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by ConceptualMind

What does the activation message say? Some of the diction could be setting off spam alarms.

Its just the standard vbulletin activation e-mail!

scrowler · 03-20-2006

yahoo and hotmail (and possibly other free email providers) need to accomodate for automated emails i think, how they would determine between automated emails and spam i wouldn't know :O

**Man1c M0g** · 03-22-2006

OK.... After a *LOT* of legwork, I have managed to get Biorust temporarily placed in a Yahoo 'watch' list, with the possibility of becoming whitelisted within 14 days. I have also given us an SPF record, so it should be relatively easy to determine if e-mails are really coming from us or not.

I'd appreciate it if anyone out there has experience with SPF settings and can test our setup for us. I'm hopeful that I've got it all right... but you never can tell!

~TAE~ · 04-12-2006

may help if a name is set as the sender?

recieved mine from a 'unknown sender'

**Man1c M0g** · 04-12-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~TAE~

may help if a name is set as the sender?

recieved mine from a 'unknown sender'

Nope - that doesn't help believe it or not!

~TAE~ · 04-13-2006

suprising i thought tha alone may have sent it to the junk folder or not at all