Outlook’s New Junk E-mail Reporting Tool

I’m using the Tech Preview version of Outlook 2007 at home. This version is pretty good at identifying junk e-mail (i get about 20-30 a day depending on how generous the spammers are feeling that day). I’ve always wished I could help the effort of refining the junk mail filters, especially for the few pieces of junk that make it through to my Inbox.

Well now I can. Microsoft has a new plug-in “Junk E-mail Reporting Tool” for Outlook 2003 and 2007; it allows you to report junk mail to Microsoft and its affiliates for analysis to help them improve the effectiveness of their junk e-mail filtering technologies.

It’s a quick and simple MSI you can get from here, note that it does *not* require a WGA check. After install, there will be a new icon on your toolbar, simply highlight the offending message, click the icon and the message will be forwarded to abuse@frontbridge.com with the offending mail as an attachment so the good guys can read the header as well.

Note that Frontbridge merged with Microsoft earlier this year to help form some of the security features of Exchange Hosted Services.