BT blocking our emails

timraynor · ‎27-04-2012

Hi,

I'm the technical contact for ChildProtectionCompany.com. We're having problems sending emails to people with @btconnect.com addresses, as the mail system incorrectly thinks the email is spam (see example below). It states that we are on a blocklist, however when checking that list, we are not listed. Therefore it looks like a different issue with your spam filters.

I've tried emailing postmaster@btconnect.com but that email address doesn't appear to work. Please could you help with this problem.

N.B. For confidentiality reasons, i've changed the first part of the client's email address in the example below.

Many thanks,

Tim Raynor

ChildProtectionCompany.com

----------------

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

<user@btconnect.com>: host

btconnect-com.mail.eo.outlook.com[216.32.181.178] said: 550 5.7.1 Service

unavailable; Client host [83.170.84.80] blocked using Spamhaus Blocklist,

mail from IP banned; To request removal from this list see

http://www.spamhaus.org/lookup.lasso. (in reply to RCPT TO command)

gugaguga · ‎29-04-2012

There might be a reason for them having this source IP banned. Someone should be able to provide feedback on this.

OldWolf · ‎30-04-2012

Hi,

BT don't use SpamHaus.

SpamHaus are blocking your emails, not BT.

Speak to SpamHaus.

Cheers.

Dave A

timraynor · ‎30-04-2012

Hi,

The message we're getting back regarding the spam blocking is from BT (see below).

<user@btconnect.com>: host

btconnect-com.mail.eo.outlook.com[216.32.181.178] said: 550 5.7.1 Service

unavailable; Client host [83.170.84.80] blocked using Spamhaus Blocklist,

mail from IP banned; To request removal from this list see

http://www.spamhaus.org/lookup.lasso. (in reply to RCPT TO command)

It claims we are blocked due to a Spamhaus blocklist, however we are not on that list. To me it looks as if the BT spam filter is incorrectly reporting. btconnect.com is the only email domain we're having problems with, btinternet.com works fine.

Any help gratefully received.

Thanks,

Tim

OldWolf · ‎30-04-2012

Hi Tim,

Let's break this down, since we don't have the email headers:

<user@btconnect.com>: host btconnect-com.mail.eo.outlook.com[216.32.181.178]

said: 550 5.7.1 Service unavailable;

Client host [83.170.84.80] blocked using Spamhaus Blocklist, mail from IP banned;

To request removal from this list see http://www.spamhaus.org/lookup.lasso. (in reply to RCPT TO command)

The error message indicates that the btconnect.com server is getting a 'Service unavailable' message for IP 216.32.181.178.

It then states that the host is blocked, although for some reason it's giving a different IP.

It then gives, and this is the clue, a Spamhaus link for removal requests. BT do not use Spamhaus, so therefore the block is not with BT.

If you like you can post up headers, which will almost certainly prove that the error email originated on the recipient server, which will almost certainly have Spamhaus filtering their email.

Cheers.

Dave A

timraynor · ‎30-04-2012

Hi Dave,

This is the header information.

Content-Description: Delivery report

Content-Type: message/delivery-status

Reporting-MTA: dns; childprotectioncompany.com

X-Postfix-Queue-ID: 6BD05389049C X-Postfix-Sender: rfc822; help@childprotectioncompany.com

Arrival-Date: Fri, 27 Apr 2012 09:20:45 +0100 (BST)

Final-Recipient: rfc822; a1@btconnect.com

Original-Recipient: rfc822;a1@btconnect.com

Action: failed Status: 5.7.1

Remote-MTA: dns; btconnect-com.mail.eo.outlook.com

Diagnostic-Code: smtp; 550 5.7.1 Service unavailable; Client host

[83.170.84.80] blocked using Spamhaus Blocklist, mail from IP banned; To

request removal from this list see http://www.spamhaus.org/lookup.lasso.

Our mail server logs read:

Apr 27 10:44:33 serverXXXXX postfix/smtp[2495]: 652A43890499: to=<a1@btconnect.com>, relay=btconnect-com.mail.eo.outlook.com[216.32.180.22]:25, delay=0.43, delays=0.02/0.01/0.31/0.09, dsn=5.7.1, status=bounced (host btconnect-com.mail.eo.outlook.com[216.32.180.22] said: 550 5.7.1 Service unavailable; Client host [83.170.84.80] blocked using Spamhaus Blocklist, mail from IP banned; To request removal from this list see http://www.spamhaus.org/lookup.lasso. (in reply to RCPT TO command))

I've changed the real identity on the email address to a1 but both end in @btconnect.com

I'm very confused. Isn't 216.32.181.178 the btserver i.e. btconnect-com.mail.eo.outlook.com? 83.170.84.80 is my server childprotectioncompany.com. The error message seems to imply that btconnect-com.mail.eo.outlook.com is rejecting mail from my server or am I misreading this? Isn't the recipient server btconnect in this case, as the user's email address is @btconnect.com or is there some mail forwarding going on?

I understand that BT don't use spamhaus and this would concur with my findings, as my server is not on the spamhaus blocklist, however I'm wondering whether the spam filter is spitting out a suprious error message.

Sorry if I'm being daft. All I know for sure is that we used to be able to send email from our email server to the client with an @btconnect.com email address without any problem but now we're receiving bounce back messages.

Thanks again for all your help with this.

Cheers,

Tim

OldWolf · ‎01-05-2012

Hi,

No I can see why it looks confusing.

I think the issue is here that the BT server is sending the rejection, rather than the recipient server. Things like that depend on how the recipient is set up to deliver non-delivery reports.

My advice would be to send the details and headers to the Tech Helpdesk through support@btbroadbandoffice.com. That address has been mentioned before, and they may be able to shed some light on it.

Hope that helps.

Cheers.

Dave A

timraynor · ‎01-05-2012

Many thanks, I'll give that a go.