Mail being rejected as spam from mx.xtra.co.nz

Forums › Spark New Zealand (including Skinny and BigPipe) › Mail being rejected as spam from mx.xtra.co.nz

mkeeley

26 posts

Geek
+1 received by user: 1

#238164 5-Jul-2018 12:47

In the past few days, our domain seems to have been blacklisted by xtra. We are a small business trying to send emails to our customers.

Our emails are DKIM signed, and we have SPF records set up.

I can send two identical emails from the same server, just with different domains, and only one of our domains is blocked (so... not an RBL problem).

I can't see how/who to contact at Xtra to start resolving this issue... does anyone know who to contact?

edit: this is the error message:

host mx.xtra.co.nz [210.55.143.33]
SMTP error from remote mail server after end of data:
554 5.7.1 Message rejected due to possible spam content

Cheers,

Mike.

1 | 2

Geek of Coastguard
14115 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4574

Retired Mod

ID Verified

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2049881 5-Jul-2018 15:27

They use SMX I believe - I'm having same issue trying to contact Trademe buyers on Xtra accounts.

I did ask for assistance from Spark on Twitter but got someone who obviously didnt know much about the email filtering system, so went nowhere.

XPD / Gavin

LinkTree

hio77

'That VDSL Cat'
13036 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3896

ID Verified

Trusted

Lizard Networks

Subscriber

#2049884 5-Jul-2018 15:31

Give our business helpdesk a call, they will be able to organize for this to go back to SMX.

Likely you have some content the same filter is suspecting is spam content. (suspect your footer..)

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

chiefie

I iz your trusted friend
5877 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 151

Retired Mod

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2055657 13-Jul-2018 10:56

This is also affecting a club domain I manage. The day prior, emails sent fine to Xtra members, but last night it started rejecting.

Something gone awry overnight.

Internet is my backyard...

«Geekzone blog: Tech 'n Chips Takeaway» «Personal blog: And then...»

Please read the Geekzone's FUG

hamishduff

1 post

Wannabe Geek

#2067246 3-Aug-2018 09:17

Did you get a resolution for this?

I have a client on 365 whose emails are all being rejected by xtra...

cheers,

Hamish

Guv

94 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 16

#2067268 3-Aug-2018 09:33

We are having the same issues at my work. It is hopeless. We ring spark who blame SMX, we then discuss with SMX who say its a Spark issue. Meanwhile many of our invoice emails blocked every month. We are advising people to setup email accounts with different providers just so we can send invoices to them as we have had no luck sorting this.

Guv

hio77

'That VDSL Cat'
13036 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3896

ID Verified

Trusted

Lizard Networks

Subscriber

#2067270 3-Aug-2018 09:36

The only path to resoultion here is ensuring your content isnt scammy looking for starters.

After that there is a process the faults helpdesk will help you through that loops back to smx for validation and correction where possible.

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

Dell

Shop now for Dell laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

Guv

94 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 16

#2067278 3-Aug-2018 09:43

We are sending pdf invoices to people. Have been for many many years.

There must be a super special faults helpdesk who actually listens vs just palming this off to SMX. I have no idea how to contact them.

chevrolux

4962 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2638
Inactive user

#2067281 3-Aug-2018 09:47

hio77: The only path to resoultion here is ensuring your content isnt scammy looking for starters.

After that there is a process the faults helpdesk will help you through that loops back to smx for validation and correction where possible.

The path to resolution is SMX need to stop being bloody ridiculous with their spam filtering.

These emails aren't being dropped by the big boys like Microsoft and Google. So SMX just need to pull their head out of theirs asses and realise they can't guarantee the 99.999999999% filtering they love to claim.

guyl

126 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 71

ID Verified

Subscriber

#2067283 3-Aug-2018 09:51

Same problem here. Small business sending out invoices as PDF attachments. Has worked fine for years, but failing now.

I tried going straight to SMX, but was told to go to Xtra.

Talked to someone on chat, who knew less about email than my cat.

I rang their support line, to be told there was a 1 hour wait. Asked for call back, and got a 5pm Friday slot! What a joke...

Why can't people just use a real email system??

Guv

94 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 16

#2067285 3-Aug-2018 09:52

chevrolux:
hio77: The only path to resoultion here is ensuring your content isnt scammy looking for starters.

After that there is a process the faults helpdesk will help you through that loops back to smx for validation and correction where possible.

The path to resolution is SMX need to stop being bloody ridiculous with their spam filtering.

These emails aren't being dropped by the big boys like Microsoft and Google. So SMX just need to pull their head out of theirs asses and realise they can't guarantee the 99.999999999% filtering they love to claim.

/agree

Its affecting our business relationships with suppliers. Yet there appears to be little we can do, believe me we have tried.

hio77

'That VDSL Cat'
13036 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3896

ID Verified

Trusted

Lizard Networks

Subscriber

#2067286 3-Aug-2018 09:58

Standard 126 helpdesk should be your best bet for a business email issue

I dont disagree that the spam filter isn't ideal. But its not a product i have my hand in at all.
Now the processes on resolving these issues, i have personally put hours if not days into... If reps aren't following these that's an issue I'll have to individually take up.

The biggest one I've seen is, reps and the affected party don't ensure that exchange of examples happens.

I unfortunately don't have the free (personal) time to take care of every individual issue with smx. Which is why i push towards the exact same process i would follow.

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

Mighty Ape

Shop now at Mighty Ape (affiliate link).

guyl

126 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 71

ID Verified

Subscriber

#2067287 3-Aug-2018 09:58

Just for laughs - here is my transcript for the online "help" I got yesterday...

00:00:05 Spark : Hi there, welcome back! How can I help?
00:00:53 Spark Customer : Hi - I have a NZ business, which is having problems sending invoices to users with Xtra email accounts. Is there an email address you could give me, so I can explain and try to get resolved?
00:00:57 Spark : Your question relates to a few topics! Below is a list of topics that relate to what you're asking. Select the one you're after. More Information: Billing Email account Email address
00:01:27 Spark Customer : Email account
00:01:29 Spark : I understand you need help with your Xtra Mail. Select one of the options I've provided. More Information: Sign in to Xtra Mail - https://www.xtramail.co.nz Reset email password Set up Xtra Mail Issues accessing email Set up on email app
00:01:47 Spark Customer : none of those
00:01:49 Spark : I don't understand 🙁 I'm sorry. Is there another way you can ask me that question? You can also type: human please if you'd like to talk to one of my human colleagues.
00:01:58 Spark Customer : human
00:02:00 Spark : My human colleagues are available to talk to you, they're really busy at the moment so the wait time may be longer than usual. Select Connect to Live Chat to get started. More Information: Connect to Live Chat
00:02:13 Spark Customer : Connect to Live Chat
00:02:15 Spark : Someone should be available to help you in less than a minute.
00:02:15 Spark : Before I transfer you, can you please tell me your name?
00:02:24 Spark Customer : Guy
00:02:24 Spark : Can I have your email address so I can send you a transcript of our chat?
00:02:36 Spark Customer : guy@*******
00:02:39 Spark : *#You're being transferred to the Live Chat team. We estimate someone should be with you in less than a minute.
00:02:58 Roshan : Hello Guy!
00:03:03 Spark Customer : hi
00:03:35 Roshan : That doesn't sound right, what is the email address you're using to send these emails?
00:03:53 Spark Customer : accounts@*****
00:04:05 Spark Customer : We send hundreds at a time. All with PDFs attached.
00:04:21 Roshan : Thanks, let me check that for you.
00:04:26 Spark Customer : Ususally works fine, but last month and this month they didn't get through
00:06:56 Roshan : I see, the xtra email updates it's security continuously. And part of the security is for the email senders to have an MX record. I have checked your email address and it doesn't have one. That's the reason why your email address is being rejected by xtra mails.
00:07:20 Roshan : What you can do it contact your email provider to include this in your email settings from their end.
00:08:13 Spark Customer : missing MX record? I don't think so. We definitely have an MX record for ***.co.nz
00:08:36 Spark Customer : Don't you guys use SMX for email now?\
00:10:55 Spark Customer : Hello?
00:11:30 Roshan : I have checked it and it says there's no MX record found.
00:11:39 Roshan : Please contact your email provider about this.
00:13:17 Spark Customer : Where are you doing your testing exactly? If I use MX Toolbox, it shows me the MX record.
00:13:43 Spark Customer : Rather than argue about if I have an MX record or not, can you tell me how I talk to someone who knows what they are doing?
00:14:11 Roshan : You can check this out here http://www.dnsgoodies.com/
00:14:51 Roshan : Enter your email address in the DNS Lookup field.
00:15:43 Spark Customer : But that is for DNS queries - using a hostname or IP!!!!!! Not an email address!!!!!!!
00:15:57 Spark Customer : tell you what, type in *******.co.nz and see what you get
00:16:17 Spark Customer : bet it says 10 pri.********.co.nz
00:16:36 Spark Customer : Again - how do I talk to someone who knows what they are doing?
00:19:21 Roshan : You are sending an email address right?
00:19:43 Roshan : This is the troubleshooting steps for 3rd party emails that cannot send emails to xtra mail.
00:19:50 Spark Customer : It doesnt accept an email address as input! Only a hostname or IP
00:20:00 Spark Customer : Then your troubleshooting steps are wrong.
00:20:19 Spark Customer : Goodbye. I have had enough of this rubbish. I will find someone else to talk to.

Guv

94 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 16

#2067290 3-Aug-2018 10:00

hio77: Standard 126 helpdesk should be your best bet for a business email issue

Problem is - if they are the best bet then resolution is a lost cause. We have tried multiple times and no-one has been able to assist. Every time we have tried we have been told its an SMX issue.

hio77

'That VDSL Cat'
13036 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3896

ID Verified

Trusted

Lizard Networks

Subscriber

#2067295 3-Aug-2018 10:08

Guv:
hio77: Standard 126 helpdesk should be your best bet for a business email issue

Problem is - if they are the best bet then resolution is a lost cause. We have tried multiple times and no-one has been able to assist. Every time we have tried we have been told its an SMX issue.

They are the right people. It's not a speak to smx thing at all.

I do appolgies for the poor experience, this really is a coaching thing though.

I can confirm over the last month my team has covered this with front line comms and made tweaks to remove any ambiguity out of the process.
Examples (in private) and once I'm back in the office I'll speak with our folk.

#include <std_disclaimer>

Any comments made are personal opinion and do not reflect directly on the position my current or past employers may have.

CutCutCut

1039 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 53

#2067297 3-Aug-2018 10:12

Don't know if this is related, but my wife told me last night that her mums email address @xtra.co.nz is rejecting her and her fathers outllook.com emails because they are identified as spam. Adding their addresses to her save list didnt seem to help.

1 | 2