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Very Unusual Verizon DSL situation
My computer is a Dimension 8200 Desktop, WinXP Home, 80GB HD.
Two days ago every email I sent out of Verizon DSL, Outlook 2003, started to get blocked from going out. It produced the following "undeliverable" notice deposited into INBOX from System Administrator: "550 5.7.1 The message you attempted to send was determined to be spam. Please visit http://www.verizon.net/spamfaq for more information."
Nothing whatsoever would go out of OUTBOX, although it appeared at that time that incoming messages were coming in OK. The problem was exactly the same in Verizon's web mail, "Verizon Central" where you can log in to send and receive emails direct from there, and bypass Outlook altogether. Identical behaviour.
Many phone calls were placed to various departments at Verizon, and many hours were spent by myself identifiying the problem as best possible. Virus and malware checks were done, settings checked, anti-virus turned off, firewall turned off, etc. etc., but nothing affects the problem. Whitelisted request was submitted, but I haven't heard back on that, and was told by separate Verizon person that it does not address this problem.
This persisted for 24 hours, at which time I obtained a helpful tip from one person at Verizon, which is that this type of behavior is sometimes related to the signature that the user has set up to appear in Outlook new, forwarding, and reply messages. I immediately went into Outlook and deleted my signatures (they were in place for 6 years), hoping to be done with the problem, but it was not solved and appears to be an even stranger problem.
After extensive experimenting with ways to write the signature, trying to get it to work, it turns out that what causes the problem is not the signature as a whole, but rather, JUST my Verizon phone number (land line number) that was in the signature. Furthermore, the problem is only when my phone number shows in the body of the letter, or signature, but not subject line. If my phone number shows in the subject line, and NOT in main letter or signature, message will go out as normal. If I take my phone number out of the letter AND out of the signature, the message goes out fine . My Verizon fax number was also in my old signature, but trial and error shows that it will go through fine, and, so will my e-mail address which was also in my old signature.
Unbelievably, it's just my phone number. Anyone else's phone number causes no problem. If I had not personally observed this myself over several days time, I would tend not to believe it, but this is actually happening.
Everything stated above applies to incoming mail also. BIG PROBLEM: If someone has replied to me on a message that contained my phone number it absolutely will not get to me, as my own phone number is blocking ALL messages coming in and going out, if it's anywhere in the message except subject line.
More than one Verizon tech rep has witnessed all of this, by doing screen sharing with me, and fortunately they have noted it in my record, since this is not resolved and there are follow up calls yet to happen. It is difficult to keep telling this bizarre story from the beginning to different Verizon people, but in the past I have found this type of persistence gets results.
This is not resolved yet. If anyone reading this has any clues for me to find a remedy, I would be extremely appreciative. Please help if you can, and thank you very much.
PudgyOne
9 Legend
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30.3K Posts
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September 18th, 2009 03:00
CdePizan,
You should have gotten an email from Verizon on the email change. Here is a copy of the letter.
Rick
Dear Verizon Online Customer,
Verizon Online will soon be making changes to our network to further strengthen the security of our customers’ email messages and our network and to help prevent spam.
We have blocked incoming email from Port 25, which is the default port used by email programs to connect to email servers and to send email, for some time now. We are now taking the additional step of blocking outgoing e-mail messages from Port 25 to help ensure that our network is not used by spammers. Depending on whether you use a web-based email service or an email program such as Microsoft Outlook®, you may need to make changes to your computer settings to ensure that your ability to send email is not interrupted.
If you use a web-based Email service (either Verizon.net or a third party email service, such as Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL, etc.):
· If you use a web-based email service to send your email, you do not need to do anything as our implementation of Port 25 blocking for outgoing email messages will not affect your ability to send or receive web-based email.
If you use a third party Email service such as Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL and an Email program such as Microsoft Outlook:
· If you use an email service other than Verizon.net (such as Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL, etc.) to send email through a program like Microsoft Outlook, you will need to make the following modification to your computer settings so that your ability to send email will not be affected:
· Change the port number in the “Advanced” section of your email program from Port 25 to Port 587. Detailed instructions on how to change the port settings on your computer can be found at www.verizon.net/port25.
· If you’re using an email provider other than Verizon.net (such as Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL, etc.) to send email through your email program and you are unable to send email after making the change to Port 587, please contact your email provider for additional information on their recommended port settings.
The above changes are necessary in order to allow you to continue to send email through your email program after September 29, 2009.
Thank you for being a valued Verizon customer.
Sincerely,
Verizon Online
CdePizan
65 Posts
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September 18th, 2009 08:00
Thank you for this information.
However we have already made this adjustment, and it does not address the problem.
Once again, the problem is not sending or receiving e-mail, both of which I can do since removing my phone number from the signature. I sent messages as normal yesterday because I was careful to not include my phone number in the message. I received messages yesterday as normal. However, if someone tries to send me a message with my phone number contained in it, it will get blocked, I will never see it. I don't know how much reply mail I have missed so far since this started.
The problem is, as I described, that anything with my phone number contained in the body of the letter or signature gets blocked, never goes out or never comes in, it is completely blocked. Everything else about e-mail is working perfectly.
Somehow my phone number has come to be interpreted as spam, both incoming and outgoing. THIS is the problem. Why is my own phone number spam and ONLY my own phone number? No other phone numbers, and nothing else is generating a spam notice.
Please, if someone can assist me with any ideas after carefully reading my post, I seriously need a solution. I am "missing" replies as described in my first post. I am causing inconvenience to other people by instructing them to OMIT my phone number in their messages to me, so that I can receive them.
THANKS VERY MUCH.
PudgyOne
9 Legend
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30.3K Posts
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September 18th, 2009 10:00
CdePizan,
This sounds like a phone call to Verizon. There is something they're doing to block this and it needs addressed.
Rick
dcgtls
940 Posts
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September 18th, 2009 12:00
I have read everything you posted.
You need to get with someone at Verizon to look into there spam filtering system. They usualy contract this out to another company that creates a "Blacklist" and it sounds like your phone number has somehow been added to the spam filter. If they will not correct this then your only options are to not put it in your sig, have your phone number changed or go to another internet provider.
I had something similar with Verizon about a year ago and it took about 4 months of constant phone calls and sitting on hold for hours at a time before it got routed to the correct person and was fixed. Just keep calling them. You might even find some help of on the Verizon forums. http://forums.verizon.com/vrzn/
Good luck
jackshack
6.4K Posts
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September 18th, 2009 12:00
Your last was a bit harsh considering all the help here is from volunteers. I really don't see what help you think you will find; your computer is obviously working normally, as is the software you have on it, including Outlook and your web browser. The problem is with Verizon's spam filter which only they can adjust. You need to keep pestering Verizon until you can find someone who knows something about the way their system operates. I'm sorry if you don't like the answer, but I don't believe you will find a better one here. Nothing you can do with your own machinery will be of any use, other than to omit the phone number from your correspondance.
CdePizan
65 Posts
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September 18th, 2009 12:00
Please reply only if you have read my initial post.
I have stated that many phone calls have been placed to Verizon.
Please reply only if you have read what I wrote, and have a solid clue or direction toward a remedy. Thank you.