Email Goes to Gmail Spam

PHP
1

I’m not sure why my email is going to gmail spam. I have been trying to fix this issue for about three days now. I have a valid RDNS , MX and SPF record. The full email headers are show below. I’m not sure what I am missing.


Delivered-To: jason@gmail.removethis.com
Received: by 10.204.36.196 with SMTP id u4cs40852bkd;
        Tue, 30 Aug 2011 05:37:11 -0700 (PDT)
Received: by 10.236.177.69 with SMTP id c45mr32611727yhm.97.1314707830686;
        Tue, 30 Aug 2011 05:37:10 -0700 (PDT)
Return-Path: <contact@big.removethis.com>
Received: from big.com (big.com [173.0.59.100])
        by mx.google.com with ESMTP id g2si5806973yhe.150.2011.08.30.05.37.09;
        Tue, 30 Aug 2011 05:37:09 -0700 (PDT)
Received-SPF: pass (google.com: domain of contact@big.removethis.com designates 173.0.59.100 as permitted sender) client-ip=173.0.59.100;
Authentication-Results: mx.google.com; spf=pass (google.com: domain of contact@big.removethis.com designates 173.0.59.100 as permitted sender) smtp.mail=contact@big.removethis.com
Received: by big.com (Postfix, from userid 33)
   id DBDDD2F41159; Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:37:00 -0400 (EDT)
To: jason@gmail.removethis.com
Subject: Closed Beta Invitation from Jason
From: BIG <contact@big.removethis.com>
Reply-To: BIG <contact@big.removethis.com>
X-Mailer: PHP-5.3.8
X-Sender: contact@big.removethis.com
X-Priority: 3
Organization: BIG
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=PHP-alt-e5123bae822ccd1b2897321b6db4fdc5
Message-Id: <20110830123700.DBDDD2F41159@big.removethis.com>
Date: Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:37:00 -0400 (EDT)
Modify message
2

There might be words in your subject line that trigger a spam filter, such as Beta and Invitation.

3

That is unfortunately not the issue.

4

If you send one to <snip/>, I can check my Spam Assassin log to see what that thinks about your email if you like.

5

I just sent it. Let me know if you got it and what you think the issue is.

6

got it.

SpamAssassin is perfectly fine with the email. Give it a score of zero for spam (i.e. it can’t find any reason why this should be spam).

The only thing I could find is that the sender is different than what you said. In the headers I get


Received-SPF: softfail (google.com: best guess record for domain of transitioning contact@pitchbig.removethis.com does not designate 173.0.59.100 as permitted sender) client-ip=173.0.59.100;

( removethis. was added by me )

7

Thank you for your help but this is so frustrating. I just wish I knew what the trigger was.

8

That domain or ip might have previously been used to send spam and could be on a gmail blacklist.

Also, use proper ‘to’ syntax like

“John Smith” <John@somewhere.c>

9

I think my problem is that my SPF is wrong, but I don’t know why. I am using tinydns and i’ve tried a bunch of combinations but my hearder is now displaying.

Received-SPF: unknown (google.com: domain of contact@big.com uses a mechanism not recognized by this client. unknown mechanisms: )) client-ip=173.0.59.100;
Authentication-Results: mx.google.com; spf=permerror (google.com: domain of contact@big.com uses a mechanism not recognized by this client. unknown mechanisms: )) smtp.mail=contact@big.com

Here is my spf…
'big.com:v=spf1 include:spf.google.com ~all:3600

Why is it failing? After I edit the file I made sure I restarted apache but it still fails.

10

you shouldn’t include spf.google.com, but aspmx.googlemail.com


v=spf1 include:aspmx.googlemail.com ~all:3600

I have that on my gmail apps controlled domain and it works fine :slight_smile: (well, without the :3600, not sure what’s that supposed to mean. TTL?)