Community Emails Go To Spam Now

[andrewtoo]

@AARPTeri 

A couple of weeks ago or so all of the email notices from the online community have almost all gone to my SPAM folder.  The email address of origin is: AARPCommunity@aarp.org.  I have been getting these email notices for years without a problem.

My regular AARP newsletters, such as the Webletter, The Daily and the Rewards emails are coming through to my "new mail" folder as usual.

Community email notices come when someone posts to a topic I have posted to myself, or if my online name is mentioned or if I receive Kudos (thanks for those by the way) all coming from the same email address: AARPCommunity@aarp.org.

It is really a bore to sort out the emails sent to my spam that are from the community.  I don't know what changed, however, I have added the email address to my contacts and I don't have a "white list" offered on my email service, just a "black list" of sorts.

Anybody else having a problem like this?

Thanks!

[JoLo49]

@mi4090, @andrewtoo 

FYI:  My community emails are still going to Spam and got several today (8/25/20)

[mi4090]

@andrewtoo 

Andrew, all my community email is going to Spam😢

Have a Blessed Day

Marylin

[RussellP197074]

The return address contains community before the @ sign.  Almost every one of the political ads I have showing up in my spam folder are "info@****.  I stand by my opinion that it is the "Community" before the @ sign that is causing it.  If they could change it to AARP@aarp.org/community, they will probably go to the inbox.

All these went direct to inbox:

[ralmon]

Hello all,

Since the first place that email can get treated as spam is your email provider, I would suggest to check the settings with them. Some providers have exception rules and/or whitelists.

Many providers now filter email through 3rd party managers, like vadesecure or mimecast. Typically, the 3rd party modifies emails by adding extra metadata headers. Then the email provider interprets/processes according to their own internal policies.

In some cases, the metadata makes reference to blacklists managed by yet another 3rd party. I've had a lot of trouble sending email to friends in Germany when my provider briefly ended up on one of the public blacklists used by their German ISP.

Bottomline: check the settings at your provider and see if you can setup a whitelist or exception rule.

Cheers,

Ray

[RussellP197074]

@ralmon 

This seems to be happening to multiple subscribers across different platforms.  Wouldn't it be much easier if AARP just tried different combinations in their header?

[ralmon]

@RussellP197074 

Unfortunately, the system I'm familiar with, the 3rd party filtering I mentioned, would be beyond AARP control. Headers would be modified after AARP sends the message out. Since multiple email providers can be using the same filter service, it could easily affect subscribers from different providers.

If you can view the email headers, it might be possible to figure out which service is doing the filtering. For instance, my provider uses vadesecure.com as the filter, which adds 3 extra fields to my email headers: X-VR-STATUS, X-VR-SCORE, X-VR-SPAMCAUSE.

My provider would take the first 2 fields (status and score) to decide if the mail goes to me or to junk. Luckily, they have a setting that allows me to receive all email despite the score. Not all providers allow that.

Other 3rd party filter services probably generate different header fields. Usually there will be some kind of score. If your email provider is using any such service, AARP can't do much about it.

Thanks to the spammers for making a simple thing like email convoluted for all of us.

Cheers,

Ray

[andrewtoo]

@ralmon 

Thanks for the post.  Maybe that is the problem.  I called AOL about getting AARPCommunity@aarp.org whitelisted at the email provider level.  All the representative would talk about is what paid subscription I would need to get technical support.  I mentioned what I was calling about and he seemed to understand my problem, but, when I told him that I wasn't interested in paying for email, we were disconnected...LOL.  I never got the chance to tell him the email address, he seemed to really want to help (help me pay them for email service.)

[ralmon]

@andrewtoo 

Is there a website you can log into? Something like mail.aol.com? Usually spam settings should be available through such a portal under something that might be called options, or mail settings.

If they have whitelist features, you might be able to set it yourself without dealing with marketing trying to fill quotas.

Good luck,

Ray

[andrewtoo]

@ralmon 

Hello Ray,

I've exhausted all of my options in attempts on my website to recognize the Community email address and not move it to the spam folder.  Thanks for your comments.

@AARPTeri I received an email from the Foundation (giving@aarp.org) without it going to spam today.  So, it is not currently a problem like the Community address (AARPCommunity@aarp.org).

Thanks for your help, Teri.

[gm5271]

Hey gang

I'm now feeling fairly certain that's its on AARP Community end...

@JoLo49 Jolene

I also noticed that veiws info was no longer there... used see it on my phone... just checked its at top of box of Andrew's 1st post IF I TURN PHONE SIDEWAYS can't see otherwise.... which is same issue I have with Promo code box can only see and enter if phone is sideways 😞

Andrew @andrewtoo your usually on laptop or PC are you seeing the view count? If so where? Used be at bottom now on top 

Russell @RussellP197074 might be a hot word but this is new issue for old timers Over 5+ years I've always gotten Community emails in regular email not Spam & its only the "reaction" emails to forums/ topics subscribed to

All other AARP & Rewards emails still coming way they always have 

But also I've just done some checking and seems my issue with Community emails began around same time or very shortly after they redid community title changes & such.... How about y'all? Does it seem in that timing for you? 

@AARPTeri 

So Teri as Andrew just posted don't think this is related to any of our email accounts causing this.... with PromoCode box change & Thread View count change & Spam issue seems very likely due to programming not Members ...As a Test Is it possible for you to email one of us from Community address but it not be response tied to our subscriptions? See what happens Thanks

Appreciate your help 

Ginger ;  )

[JoLo49]

@gm5271 

Hello Ginger,

I agree, the SPAM issue seems to be on AARP's end.   I use a desktop computer for AARP activities, and I can't see the view count on my 26" monitor.  It's interesting that you can see the  view count on your phone turned sideways.  Unfortunately, I can't turn my monitor sideways.

Take care.

Jolene

[RussellP197074]

The reason the emails have all of a sudden started going to the spam folder is that someone somewhere made a change to the parameters for identifying spam.  This started happening at the same time I started getting a lot - and I mean a whole lot - of political ads going to my spam folder. 

Through efforts to try and set up rules on my email client (Apple), I found out that the rules cannot be automatically applied to emails that are in the spam folder, and because emails that are identified as spam go directly to the spam folder, my rules have to be applied manually.  I have never set a rule or other means to determine what is spam. Yet there they are.  

The email clients Apple, Google, Yahoo, maybe even AOL try in good faith to keep users from receiving spam by creating detectors/filters to flag them.  They may be using a master list of spam identifiers across all or many of the clients.  AARP should start there.  It may not have been any change by AARP in their emails.  It may be a change in what is being flagged as spam, and AARP's emails have gotten caught up in them. That it started at the same time I also see a large increase in political ads in my spam folder leads me to this conclusion.

[andrewtoo]

@gm5271 

The number of views are showing in the same place when I view a post.  Your post shows 17 views before this posting.  So, I'm not seeing a change, but, that doesn't mean that it was not showing earlier.

And, Gem, thanks for posting about this problem.  It is a real bore...

Also, Thanks @AARPTeri for looking into this.

Thanks!

[RussellP197074]

It might be the word "community" that some clients might be flagging to send to spam.  Maybe AARP could strip that off as a test. I seem to remember a certain community organizer that was getting a lot of flack about it.  Maybe it has become a hot button word now.

[andrewtoo]

Wow...now giving@aarp.org (AARP Foundation's email address) is going to Spam, joining AARPCommunity@aarp.org in the Spam Folder.

How is it going for others? 

I added the community email address to my contacts before my 7/6 post and it is still going to Spam.  I have added the Foundation's email address to my contacts and I hope it stops going to Spam.

I am using AOL Mail on the Internet.  I've had the email address for about 30 years, so, I'll continue to use it.

Thanks!

[gm5271]

@andrewtoo 

Hey Andrew

I also use an AOL email account have had since I began using a computer back in 90's.... back when had pay a monthly fee for account so sticking with it as you are... seems I recall years ago having a similar issue that was due to AOL so I'm going try go to settings of my account see if find anything possibly causing this issue.... used to be easier to check but not since went free account but maybe I'll luck up

I've added all AARP addresses to contacts and to mail list & nothing has helped

Jolo and Marylin

@JoLo49 @mi4090 

don't need know your email service provider but curious if it's AOL? Since Andrew and I have AOL Thanks 

Hopefully will get corrected soon cause I usually have over 250+emails in Spam folder each week with my AOL account(crazy) its easy to miss one that matters .... my Google gmail which only get few Google emails never has anything in Spam folder but don't desire change plus if did with AARP Rewards would lose all points cause they can't/won't transfer them. 

Take care will update if find something on AOL side 

Enjoy your weekend 

Ginger  :  ) 

[JoLo49]

@ gm5271
Hello Ginger,
I have Yahoo mail and this is the first time I've had an issue with a safe contact going to SPAM. I've had this account for many years. Only the Community AARP emails are going into SPAM. Other AARP correspondence seems to be reaching my Inbox with no issues.

Jolene

[JoLo49]

Hello @andrewtoo 

I also added the Community email address to my safe contacts, however, those emails are still going to Spam folder.  I haven't received the Foundation email yet, so I will report back when I get the Foundation's email.

I think it must be an AARP issue,  as I find it too coincidental that there's a number of us having the same issues.

JoLo49

[RussellP197074]

I am not so sure this is an AARP issue.  I think it may have to do with an external force that may have a political bent.  I am registered as Republican, and, in the past I have received a lot of emails from politicians from all over the country, that are now showing up in my junk folder instead of the new mail.  I don't get the same type of emails from Democratic politicians, so I cannot speak as to whether it is a non partisan issue. 

I'd like to hear from anyone else on this subject who is a registered Democrat to see if they have seen the same thing.  This might be an issue with Google, or Apple, which is the email client I use.  I don't have an issue with this, since I never send money to politicians anyway!

AARP community emails may be caught up in it due to filtering by whatever client is creating the filter.

[JoLo49]

I am a registered Democrat, and the AARP emails are going to Spam despite adding to my safe list.  I'm pretty sure political affiliation is not the issue in this case.   Not using Apple for AARP activities.

[mi4090]

Hello Rewards Warriors

I'm experiencing the same problem with community email going to spam.  Added to contacts to no avail.

Have a Blessed Day

Marylin

[AARPTeri]

@andrewtoo - Thanks - I saw this message on another thread as well.  I am checking to see why that may be happening.

Teri

[AARPTeri]

@andrewtoo @JoLo49 @RussellP197074 @mi4090 @gm5271 

I have looked into the AARPCommunity emails and we are unable to see any issue on our end.  Since you are also reporting AARP Foundation emails as well these are not delivered the same way as the AARP community alerts (differing systems).  We will continue to look into this problem but believe it is on the email provider (your end) changes and not the email sender.  You may also want to reach out to your vendor asking why they are not allowing you to add this email address to your safe list.

Sorry we were not able to resolve this issue on our end!

[andrewtoo]

@AARPTeri 

All email notices from the this online Community coming from email AARPCommunity@aarp.org are still going to spam...Every email from this address.  It is a pain.

How many users are affected here?  Please post if it is just a note, like "I'm having this problem too."

Thanks so much,

[gm5271]

@andrewtoo 

@AARPTeri (do u hear us?)

Thanks a bunch🤗 Andrew for keeping this issue up front

I'm still having issue & pretty tired of having search for emails😒... my gmail has really no spam but also don't use it...My AOL account had since got on internet in 1999 big spam issue.... example I just went through spam search Found 5 Community emails amongst 189 spam emails this was for 2 days 🤯 its crazy... used to only clear up on Sunday's but feel need check more often since have find Community emails there 😞

I've checked all my settings and my lists for spam addresses no issues there along with adding over 7 addresses to contacts... not helping.... No doubt AARP has changed the Community name in some way causing this because for over 5 years being on Community this only began few months ago. 

I'm tired of searching but also concerned might miss getting one 😨

Hopefully it'll get better soon

Thanks again

Enjoy your day and stay safe

Ginger ;  )

[JoLo49]

@andrewtoo   I'm having this problem too.  You're right, it's been a pain and wish AARP will fix.

JoLo49.

[andrewtoo]

@AARPTeri @JoLo49 @gm5271 @RussellP197074 @mi4090 

Different users using different email systems suddenly have notices going directly to Spam?  It is hard for me to believe that it is entirely on our end.  AOL Mail is free to me, after decades of paying $20 per month, however, the free account has no technical support.  I have added the community email to my contacts and getting several email notices a day directly to Spam.  The foundation email may have been a one time occurrence.

[JoLo49]

 I noticed a change on the Community Forum where each posting no longer shows the number of times it is getting viewed.  It could be possible there were other changes made on the forum, including how the emails are being sent.

[JoLo49]

@AARPTeri 

I am also experiencing AARP correspondence going to Spam for the past couple of weeks.  Hope it can be fixed.

JoLo49

[AARPTeri]

@JoLo49  @andrewtoo @gm5271   There wasn't any changes on our end so it may have been an updated with your Internet Service Provider.  All you should have to do is make us AARPCommunity@aarp.org a safe sender and you should start receiving all the notifications.