My fight against Microsoft Outlook hotmail etc email blocking

[exxos]

As people are aware by now I am recommending users not to sign up with the forum or use any emails relating to Microsoft any more. I should also remind people that Microsoft are also blocking emails from Stripe. where I assume they would have the top-notch security measures in place already being a payment processor. So these problems do not just affect my server!

https://exxosforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopi ... =20&t=5829
https://exxosforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=62686

The rejection emails are mostly like this.

Code: Select all

host
   uk01b.mail.protection.outlook.com[104.47.20.36] said: 550
    5.7.511 Access denied, banned sender[185.52.2.172]. To request removal from
    this list please forward this message to delist@messaging.microsoft.com.
    For more information please go to
    http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=526653. AS(1410)
    [CWLGBR01FT013.eop-gbr01.prod.protection.outlook.com] (in reply to RCPT TO
    command)

So I have used that delist email multiple times in the past and ultimately gave up. Previously I would be removed from the list very quickly but then end up back on the list again two days later.

Most of this work was done on my old server which used a different Ip address. though even after setting up the server with all the latest security BS , Microsoft are still blocking even that.

So I tried it one last time to do list and got this back.

Dear Chris

We have completed reviewing the IP(s) you submitted. The following table contains the results of our investigation.

Not qualified for mitigation
185.52.2.172
Our investigation has determined that the above IP(s) do not qualify for mitigation.

Please ensure your emails comply with the Outlook.com policies, practices and guidelines found here: http://mail.live.com/mail/policies.aspx.

To have Deliverability Support investigate further, please reply to this email with a detailed description of the problem you are having, including specific error messages, and an agent will contact you.


Regardless of the deliverability status, Outlook.com recommends that all senders join two free programs that provide visibility into the Outlook.com traffic on your sending IP(s), the sending IP reputation with Outlook.com and the Outlook.com user complaint rates.

Junk Email Reporting program (JMRP) When an Outlook.com user marks an email as "junk", senders enrolled in this program get a copy of the mail forwarded to the email address of their choice. It allows senders to see which mails are being marked as junk and to identify mail traffic you did not intend to send. To join, please visit

https://sendersupport.olc.protection.ou ... /JMRP.aspx

Smart Network Data Services program (SNDS). This program allows you to monitor the ‘health’ and reputation of your registered IPs by providing data about traffic such as mail volume and complaint rates seen originating from your IPs. To register, please visit http://postmaster.live.com/snds/.

There is no silver bullet to maintaining or improving good IP reputation, but these programs help you proactively manage your email eco-system to help better ensure deliverability to Outlook.com users.

Thank you,

Outlook.com Deliverability Support

So I just spent the past hour writing a email to them..We enclose this in a second post below.

[exxos]

Hello,

Can I ask exactly why my IP is banned ? 185.52.2.172 I signed up with Smart Network Data Service which so far has not reported anything at all. I think my email server sends out less than 10 emails each day. This is only for notifications for my online forum all my online web store. I never send out mass emails or send out spam to anyone. People have to register with my forum to get any sort of email correspondence from me whatsoever. I do not send any sort of marketing material or unsolicited emails. The only store emails I send are necessary which are order receipts from purchases. people are never emailed from me again.

Enclosed below is the results of all the diagnostics of my server. SPF, DKIM,DMARC, HTTPS,DNS, BLACK LIST CHECK,REVERSE LOOK UP etc etc all pass. So why does outlook block me ?

My server supports encryption , see enclosed images below.

SPF records pass.

SPF.PNG

DKIM PASS

DKIM.PNG

DMARC PASS

DMARC.PNG

HTTPS PASS

HTTPS.PNG

DNS SETTINGS

DNS.PNG

BLACK LIST CHECKUP PASS

bl1.PNG

bl2.PNG

bl3.PNG

REVERSE LOOKUP

rev.PNG

EMAIL SERVER TESTS (slow time is down to MXTOOL BOX NOT ME!)

1.PNG

So which policy exactly am I violating ? because other than doing the ritual chicken sacrifice I do not believe I can do anything any more ???

Regards,
Chris

[exxos]

The reply I immediately got back was.

This is the mail system at host exxosforum.co.uk.

I'm sorry to have to inform you that your message could not
be delivered to one or more recipients. It's attached below.

For further assistance, please send mail to postmaster.

If you do so, please include this problem report. You can
delete your own text from the attached returned message.

The mail system

<WINLV.EDFS.WW.00.EN.MSF.RMD.TS.T01.SPT.00.EM@css.one.microsoft.com>: host
css-one-microsoft-com.mail.protection.outlook.com[40.93.207.1] said: 550
5.7.511 Access denied, banned sender[185.52.2.172]. To request removal from
this list please forward this message to delist@messaging.microsoft.com.
For more information please go to
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=526653. AS(1410)
[CB1PEPF00003666.namprd00.prod.outlook.com 2023-01-17T10:57:15.691Z
08DAF7B49C02B928] (in reply to RCPT TO command)

This is why I am so sick to death of companies and technology these days. I cannot reply to their email to present my case because their server is blocking me!!! These companies really need to get their sh*t together. Technology is supposed to make life easier not turn into a endless war just to send a few emails out! Welcome to planet Earth I guess.

So I will send them the email from my yahoo account and try again.

[exxos]

I spent pretty much all day yesterday researching these problems as countless others are having the same issue.

I found this page the most useful where the user had exactly the same email is me then apparently got taken off their block list.

https://blog.paranoidpenguin.net/2020/0 ... tlook-com/
https://blog.paranoidpenguin.net/2020/0 ... il-server/

Though even if I do manage to get removed (I just somehow doubt it) I can just see me ending up back on it again anyway.

I think this comment pretty much sums it up. It is basically what I have said before about Microsoft.

To M$, every email message that originates from outside of M$s networks is spam…and every sender of said message is a spammer.

You will be assimilated…

I have had problems emailing from Google mail as well to Microsoft. So when Google "fallout" with Microsoft and neither of their email service will talk to each other any more. Then what ?

I honestly think this is where we are all heading. All the little email servers, genuine or not, are going to get junked so Microsoft can take over the entire email network themselves. Then likely charge for it when they have market dominance no doubt.

Other than using Microsoft email server for my emails there is currently no alternative other than not using Microsoft at all. I don't like the idea of a company causing the problem and then offering the solution. Considering the hassle it has all caused already in getting nowhere with scripted replies as usual. No thanks. I would rather limit my involvement with these large companies than "join them". Likely futile case, but this is also the type of thing which Louis Rossmann is fighting against. Large companies should not have the monopoly and get away with it all the time.

[exxos]

Got a reply. I guess they don't know either then.

Hello,

My name is Madan and I work with the Outlook.com Sender Support Team.

I do not see anything offhand with IP: (185.52.2.172) that would be preventing your mail from reaching our customers.

You may be able to find additional information on common delivery questions at the Outlook.com Postmaster Site found at https://mail.live.com/mail/postmaster.aspx I would like to highlight some key areas that I believe are appropriate to your company.

· Outlook.com has created the Smart Network Data Services (SNDS) program. This is a service that helps legitimate email senders work with their customers and partners to reduce spam originating from their IP. To register, please go to http://postmaster.msn.com/snds/ This program allows a sender to monitor the 'health' of their IPs.

Monitor user complaints. Outlook.com also has a sender complaint feedback loop program called the Junk Email Reporting Program (JMRP). Enrolment in this free program will benefit you as a sender as it will keep your email lists updated and populated with interested Outlook.com customers. This program will help you to remove those Outlook.com customers who do not want to receive emails from your company. If you are interested in joining this program, please visit https://postmaster.live.com/snds/JMRP.a ... wsignin1.0.

While using the SNDS tool and enrolment in the JMRP will not allow emails from your mail servers to bypass our filters, these are in place to help legitimate companies deliver their emails to Outlook.com customers.

Apply for IP Certification by Return Path, a Validity Product​
If you are doing all the above and you continue to have deliverability issues, you may wish to consider joining Return Path’s IP Certified Mail Program, a third-party program administered by Return Path, a Validity Product. Many legitimate mailers and marketers have qualified and joined this program to improve mail deliverability and decrease email from being filtered to the Junk E-mail Folder. Return Path’s IP Certification (https://www.validity.com/products/retur ... ification/) is the only service to which we subscribe

The troubleshooting steps in this email are recommendations only. Microsoft makes no guarantees that following these steps will guarantee deliverability to MSN, Outlook.com, or Live.com customers.

For more detailed information about best sending practices to Outlook.com users, please review the following white paper: http://download.microsoft.com/download/ ... eliver.pdf

In term of the error message you have indicated: [5.7.511 Access denied, banned sender[185.52.2.172]] we recommend you open a ticket with the Office 365 support team to assist you with the problem: https://support.office.com/en-us/articl ... n-US&ad=US

If you are having difficulty sending email to an Office 365 customer, please see: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/lib ... .150).aspx

You can find more information about the [5.7.511 Access denied, banned sender[185.52.2.172]] by going to this website: https://support.office.com/en-us/articl ... 85bf8533c3

Sincerely,

Madan
Outlook.com Deliverability Support

[derkom]

Got a reply. I guess they don't know either then.

So their reply amounts to "I don't see any reason for us to be blocking your IP, but we're still going to do it, have a nice day." I would definitely demand some escalation here. If one person tells you you do not quality for un-blackisting and another tells you there's no reason for you to be blacklisted, someone's got to explain the disparity.

FWIW, I run my own mail server, and I have no trouble sending to Microsoft-hosted people. As far as I can tell, your server meets all the same requirements that mine does. For me, the biggest problem was Google. The final puzzle piece that had to slot into place was reverse DNS, which they insisted must match the name of my MX.

[exxos]

So their reply amounts to "I don't see any reason for us to be blocking your IP, but we're still going to do it, have a nice day." I would definitely demand some escalation here. If one person tells you you do not quality for un-blackisting and another tells you there's no reason for you to be blacklisted, someone's got to explain the disparity.

Yes that pretty much sums it all up doesn't it. They just farm me off onto 365 support basically. Which I probably won't get anywhere as I am not signed up with any Microsoft services to start with.

I already signed up with SNDS and JMRP. It reports nothing. Though I doubt it ever will because no emails can ever get past their firewall. So it is questionable even if it gets as far as being logged anywhere.

It's just the typical "run around in circles technical support" that these companies all seem to have these days. :roll:

EDIT:
In fact that was also PayPal's logic as to why they banned me as well :roll:

[exxos]

FWIW, I run my own mail server, and I have no trouble sending to Microsoft-hosted people. As far as I can tell, your server meets all the same requirements that mine does. For me, the biggest problem was Google. The final puzzle piece that had to slot into place was reverse DNS, which they insisted must match the name of my MX.

I think also, this was also a problem with my previous server which had a totally different IP address. granted it did not have a lot of stuff set up which is why I spent such a long time doing things properly on my new server. But I wonder if the IP was already banned from whoever used the IP previously or something.

But I did temporarily get off their blacklist only to end up banned again a couple days later. So they are banning me for some reason but they have no idea why.

[Badwolf]

They're absolute sharks. It's might makes right with both them and Google in the email sphere, I'm afraid.

It's going to get worse before it gets better, I fancy (ie. until the EU or US gets interested in an anti-competitive practices investigation).

BW

[rubber_jonnie]

Like Derkom, I've run my own email server, and for a long time. My main problem was being on a dynamic IP address, that's one way to get banned pretty regularly, but that isn't your problem here.

To be clear, it isn't being blocked by their firewall, it's being blocked because you're a banned sender. Your server attempted to connect to MS to deliver a message and the mail server checked and you were banned.

If you are being delisted from the banned list, and it works for a while, then I am wondering if MS are blocking a range of IP addresses from your ISP and it includes yours. Given your low volumes of email, it seems unlikely to be your messages are the problem.

I did also test to see if you are an open relay - good news, you're not. It makes me wonder if there is a reverse lookup issue for your domain name, as that is one way to get banned.

Have you considered a service like AUTHSMTP? They are a relay service, you send to them using autorised credentials and you don't get blocked because they have a good reputation. $25 (About £20) for up to 50,000 emails a month.

Because your email server only ever talks to them and their reputation is good, your emails always send. It doesn't matter for inbound emails, they come straight to you.

One other oddity is you not getting emails from me on Exchange to your email server. That shouldn't matter for inbound, unless of course MS blocks you entirely if you are banned, so you can't receive either. However I never got a bounce message to say it wasn't received.

I'd suggest a thorough look at your logs too, see just what is being sent, in case you have been compromised.