SurgeMail SurgeMail is the spam-filtering program we use to block unwanted spam. Select a Filter We have two spam filters available in SurgeMail: The first filter is a word-based spam filter. It bases its filtering on specific words in the email messages you receive. This type of filtering is easily bypassed (because spam messages are not always marked as spam) and is also subject to false positives (when desirable email messages are blocked as spam.) The second filter is called "Authorized Only". It works on the basis of your email being identified and stored on either a "white list" (authorized), a "grey list" (need-to-decide) or a "black list" (blocked). To use this filter, you would enter onto your "white list" (authorized email address list) all the people to whom you normally email. Then, emails sent to you from people not on your authorized list would automatically receive a "challenge response". The challenge response is a message emailed back to the sender, which "challenges" them to make a specific response in order for the email message they sent you to bypass your spam filter. Once they respond to the challenge message, they are automatically added to your authorized address list and their email is released into your inbox. Otherwise, if the sender does not respond to the challenge response, their email is stored on your "Pending confirmations" list (grey list), where you can choose to either release it or delete it. If you do nothing with your pending confirmation emails, after two weeks, they are automatically deleted. If someone responds to the challenge message, but you do not wish to receive email from him/her, you can move that email address to your Blocked list ("black list"), and it will then be automatically blocked. This is the filter we personally use and recommend. How to Setup your Spam Filter in SurgeMail From our home page, click "Spam Filtering" on the navigation bar. This takes you to the login page for SurgeMail. Type in your email address and password to enter your account. Click on "Authorized Only". Click on "Address list". Here is where you add the email addresses of people you want on your authorized list. You can copy and paste them from your email address book, or if you have a large number of addresses, you can export them from your address book into a text file and then cut and paste them into the window. (See instructions below: Exporting Your Email Address List.) Make sure you click on the "Add address" button after you have pasted them into the window. Your authorized Address list will be displayed at the bottom of the page. Exporting Your Email Address List: Open Outlook Express. Go into your address book by clicking on "Addresses". Click on "File", "Export", "Other Address Book". Click on "Text File (Comma Separated Values)" and then click the "Export" button. At the "Save exported file as" prompt, type in "C:\address" and then click the "Next" button. At the "Select the fields you wish to export" prompt, remove all the check marks except the check mark in front of "E-mail Address". (This requires you to scroll through the entire list, removing check marks.) Click on the "Finish" button. At the prompt: "Address book export process has completed" click on the "OK" button. Click on the "Close" button. Go to your desktop screen. Click on the "Start" button, then click on "Programs", "Accessories", "Notepad". Click on "File", "Open". At the "File name:" prompt, type in "C:\address". Then click on the "Open" button. Beneath the title "E-mail Address", select all your email addresses by highlighting them. Now click "Edit", "Copy", then click on the "x" button to close Notepad. Return to the "Authorized Only address list" page in SurgeMail. At the "Add address" prompt, click inside the empty window to bring up your cursor, then click "Edit", "Paste". Your authorized email addresses will appear in the window. Click on the "Add address" button to add these addresses to your "Existing Authorized Only addresses" list. Now click on the "Message" button at the top of the page. This is the "Challenge Response Message" that people will receive who are not on your authorized email address list. You can personalize it if you so desire. Make sure you save the changes by clicking on the "Save" button. Next, click on "Settings". This is where you will actually turn on the filter. There are several options. We recommend the option "Request confirmation from unknown addresses." Then click on "Save" to save the setting you selected. If you are setting up the email addresses for your children, you might turn on the "Kids Safe" function, which allows only those on their Authorized address List to email them. Using this option, there will be no Pending emails, and no challenge response will be sent to unknown senders; therefore, unknown senders will not be able to bypass your childrens' spam filter and reach their inbox. Click on the "Save" button to enable the setting you selected. Maintaining Your Spam Filter Temporarily Disable Blocking: In the "Settings" window (after the filter is turned on) there will be a "Disable Blocking" button. When this is clicked it will allow all mail (spam included) to go through for a maximum of three hours. This can be used if you expect an email but do not know the email address of the person sending you the email. (For example, if you make an Ebay purchase). If you receive the email before the three hours are up, you can go back to this page and enable blocking again. Maintaining Your Address List: Click on "Address List" and scroll down until you see all the addresses on your list. If you find objectionable addresses, you can either delete them from your authorized Address List or you can add them to your Blocked address list by putting a check mark in front of them, and then click on either the "Delete Address" button or the "Block Address" button. Checking Your Pending Box: After logging on to your account, click on "Authorized Only" and then click on "Pending". This will display the page of email messages from senders who are neither on your authorized address list, nor on your blocked address list. Most of these will be spam. You will also find emails that you have been waiting to receive. You can "release", "delete" or "allow" these messages, by putting a check mark in front of them and clicking the appropriate button below. "Release" will send the email to your inbox, but will not add the address to your authorized Address List. "Allow" will both send the email to your inbox and add the address to you Address List.

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