PerfectMail™ can mark spam messages so that your desktop mail client (e.g. Outlook) can filter your e-mail based on PerfectMail's assessment. This information is stored in the X-Spam-Flag and X-Spam-Level e-mail headers. These headers can be used to filter spam with your e-mail client.

To filter e-mail flagged as spam you need to create Filter Rules. Filter rules can automatically file messages in your "Spam" or "Junk" folder. For sites that are particularly concerned about loosing e-mail, or even for specific users, you can have PerfectMail not reject any e-mail and use these filtering rules to filter messages on your local e-mail client.

The steps for creating filter rules are specific to your e-mail client. We have instructions for creating filter rules for several popular e-mail clients. The steps for other e-mail clients are likely very similar to those presented here.

How to Configure Outlook Express™ for Macintosh™ Filters

The instructions are the same as for Outlook Express 4.5 and 5.x for Mac, but the menu item under Tools is called "Mail Rules" in version 4.5 and "Rules" in version 5.x. Also, there's no choice between POP/IMAP. Note: if you are sending messages found by this rule to a special mail folder, you must already have created the destination folder before you create the rule.

1. From the menu bar, choose Tools; then "Rules" or "Mail Rules" depending on your Outlook Express Version (5.x and 4.5 respectively.
2. Select POP, and then hit "new" for a new rule.
3. Under the section marked "If", choose "specific header" and then type or paste in the name of the header, which is "X-Spam-Flag".
4. Under "Contains:" type in Yes.
5. In the section marked "Then", specify an action -- move to a new folder, change its status or color, as you see fit. Note that we do not recommend simply deleting messages found by this rule.
6. The Enabled box needs to be checked in order for this rule to be active - it will be checked by default.