Management of Email accounts
Saman Arif
Email problems can arise with your account itself or with the configuration of your email client (the software you use to access your email account), and it’s not always easy to tell which of these is to blame. Keeping your account within its allotted storage size by deleting and/or moving messages, and properly specifying your preferred address, will save you from the most common problems with mail receipt. With regard to sending mail, correctly specifying your (Simple Mail Transfer protocol) SMT mail server in the configuration of your client, and using the proper addresses for your recipients, will avoid most common problems.
Inter press Service (IPs) not previously used to send email typically don’t have any reputation built up in systems. As a result, emails from new IPs are more likely to experience deliverability issues. Once the IP has built a reputation for not sending spam, Outlook.com will typically allow for a better email delivery experience.
New IPs that are added for domains that are authenticated under existing SPF (Sender Policy Framework) records typically experience the added benefit of inheriting some of the domain’s sending reputation. If the domain has a good sending reputation new IPs may experience a faster ramp up time. A new IP can expect to be fully ramped within a couple of weeks or sooner depending on volume, list accuracy and as long as their junk emails complaint rates are kept at a minimum.
Don’t forget to update your Junk Email Reporting Program (JMRP) account with the new IPs.
Some of the deliverability issues are the result of sender-based software configurations. If you are running anti-virus software on your firewall or SMTP server, check for the setting “Internet Email Auto Protect” or “Internet Email Protection.” If this setting is enabled, disable it and try sending a test message to servers again.
Occasionally, some of the IPs in MX (Mail exchange) record may be out of service. If you are connecting to one of these IPs your connection may timeout. Make sure you test all of published IPs. You may also configure your outbound email server to do a round-robin DNS (Domain Name System) lookup for Outlook.com.
Avoid using scripting languages as they may be removed from your message. Many email messages now contain HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) code similar to that found in a Web page. This often helps with formatting and design. Outlook.com now analyzes and processes HTML content to remove HTML code that may be unsafe for your computer. This change is part of Microsoft’s overall Trustworthy Computing Initiative and was made to further reduce the risk of malicious HTML content reaching our users.
One way to ensure that your messages aren’t marked as being from an “unknown sender” is to join Return Path’s Certification program, a third-party accreditation and reputation service that provide Outlook.com with a list of responsible senders. Alternatively, if an Outlook.com user adds your domain or email address to their “contacts” or their “safe-senders list” they will no longer see this notification. In addition, senders who are on the Return Path Certification list or on a user’s “safe sender’s” list typically experience links and images within their messages enabled by default.
To help prevent your messages from being identified as possibly fraudulent:
Always use valid, reputable URLs i.e. a Uniform Resource Locator, colloquially termed a web address, is a reference to a web resource that specifies its location on a computer network and a mechanism for retrieving it. . Make sure it’s clear where the recipient will be taken and whether the destination is a valid website.
n Use the standard URL format. Avoid using IP addresses in the URL.
n Do not link to known phishing sites.
To protect your account, it is strongly recommended to follow the steps below regularly, especially if you notice changes to your account that you didn’t make.
If you find suspicious activity on your account, follow the steps to secure your account.
To help make your Account more secure, follow these steps.
Run a scan on your computer with trusted anti-virus software. If the scan detects any suspicious programs or applications, remove them immediately.
Go to the My Account page. In the “Security Checkup” section, select Get Started and follow the on-screen instructions to check your account security.
Check that your account recovery options are up-to-date.
2-Step Verification adds an extra layer of security to your account. The process requires you to sign in with something you know (your password) and something you have (a code sent to your phone).
Make sure you’ve set your computer to update automatically. If you get a notice to update, take care of it right away.
If you enter your password in an external website and it’s compromised, someone could try to sign in to your Account with the same information. Make sure to change your Account password.
Never enter your password after following a link in an email from an untrusted site. Always go directly to mail.google.com or accounts.google.com/login or any other account.
Don’t write it down, send it via email, or tell anyone. Google will never email you to ask for your password or other sensitive information.
Always sign out of your account. At the top of the page, click your name, email address, or profile picture. Then, select Sign out.
Clear forms, passwords, cache, and cookies in your browser on a regular basis.
Note: You should perform these steps more frequently if you begin to notice suspicious behavior in your computer, such as general slowness and pop-up advertisements.