I cannot send e-mail to business addresses, but have no problem with personal computers to friends/family. Mail is not returned, but the recipents never receive it. I assume this is to do with my security settings?

David Patmore, September 2003

I cannot send e-mail. My e-mail comes in, but I can`t send any out. A message comes up and says:
An unknown error has accurred. Subject (Mini S copter, Account: `Pop. charter. net: Server` SMTP. charter. net: Protocol SMTP. Server Response: `550 message identified as spam. Please visit http;//www.charter.com/postmaster: Port 25, secures (SSL); No server error: 550. error number )x800CCC69. How do I fix this problem?

Janet-----m.peterson4@charter.net, January 2007

I am receiving e-mail but I can not send any out. A message comes up that says I have a port block 25.

Janet---m.peterson4@charter.net, January 2007

As Justin said, the problem lies not with you but with whatever businesses you are trying to contact. It is possible that your email domain (david@hotmail.com, etc.) or IP address has been blocked out by the LAN administrator or an automatic spam program on the server due to other spammers who have sent them bad emails in the past, or your email or IP address may have been captured by a spammer and used as a spam header, in which case it is unlikely that you would receive any bounce notice from the businesses. Spammers have spoofed the more well-known domains (yahoo.com, aol.com, juno.com, etc.) If it is really important for your content to reach the businesses, you might try calling a contact there and having them tell their IT department to let your specific address through. I also know that a lot of businesses block outside "personal" mail and may consider your mail as such. If you want to test it, you can try signing up for a free, lesser-known account from one of the sites here - http://www.emailaddresses.com/email_web.htm, using their system to send an email with no attachment to the business in question with a reply request, as it is unlikely that these domains have been blocked. If it goes through, your isp's domain is likely the problem and you'll have to make arrangements with your contacts at the companies or use alternate mail accounts.

Lovely Lillith, May 2004

David, there are no settings/software which are going to be able to distinguish e-mails which you send to businesses from e-mails which you sent to friends/family. Something else is going on.

First, are you thinking that because you don't get a Read Receipt that your e-mail is not being read? This is not true. The receipients have the choice as to whether to send you a receipt. They can read your e-mail without sending you a receipt.

Second, it is just possible that your firewall (certainly your anti-virus program) may block incoming e-mail traffic, but it is unusual for a firewall to block outgoing e-mail. Could your e-mails contain content which a business might block? Are you attaching large files? Are you attaching executable files (.exe)? Is your e-mail unsolicited? (Spam?) Normally if an organisation's firewall blocks an incoming e-mail the sender would receive an e-mail informing them that the e-mail has been blocked and that the receipient did not receive it. These e-mails would normally explain why the e-mail was blocked. If you are not receiving these, then I don't think your e-mail is being stopped.

Justin T, September 2003