Legitimate email is going to spam, or spam is getting through

First identify the direction

There are two different problems:

• Incoming filtering: Messages arriving in your Webway mailbox are incorrectly classified.
• Outgoing deliverability: Messages you send are placed in someone else's spam folder.

Changing your incoming spam filter does not improve the reputation of messages you send.

Manage spam filtering in cPanel

1. Sign in to cPanel.
2. Open Email.
3. Select Spam Filters.
4. Confirm that spam filtering is enabled.
5. Review the spam score threshold.
6. Enable the spam folder if you want suspected messages separated from the inbox.
7. Add specific trusted senders to the allow list where necessary.

A threshold of 5 is a sensible starting point.

A lower score is stricter and catches more messages. It can also classify more legitimate messages as spam.

Do not enable automatic deletion until you have tested the selected threshold.

Manage spam filtering in DirectAdmin

1. Sign in to DirectAdmin.
2. Open E-mail Manager.
3. Select SpamAssassin Setup.
4. Confirm that filtering is enabled.
5. Review the score threshold and delivery action.
6. Save your settings.

DirectAdmin also has E-mail Manager → SPAM Filters for blocking specific senders, domains or words.

Allow a trusted sender

Add the specific sender address to the allow list, for example accounts@example.co.za.

Avoid allowing an entire domain unless you trust every address using it. A forged sender address can still be used in spam.

Allow-listing overrides part of the spam assessment. It does not fix missing SPF, DKIM or DMARC records at the sender.

If legitimate incoming mail goes to spam

1. Check the spam folder.
2. Mark the message as not spam in your mail application where supported.
3. Add the exact sender to the panel allow list.
4. Ask the sender for a complete copy of any delivery warning.
5. Check whether the sender passes SPF, DKIM and DMARC.
6. Avoid making the spam threshold much less strict based on one message.

If too much spam reaches the inbox

1. Confirm that spam filtering is enabled.
2. Lower the score threshold gradually.
3. Send suspected messages to a spam folder before enabling deletion.
4. Remove unnecessary allow-list entries.
5. Disable any catch-all address you do not need.
6. Check whether publicly listed addresses are being targeted.

A catch-all mailbox accepts messages sent to invented addresses at your domain and can substantially increase spam. See How to set up a catch-all email address.

If your outgoing email goes to spam

Check that:

• You send through authenticated SMTP.
• The SMTP username is the complete email address.
• SPF and DKIM are valid.
• DMARC is configured carefully.
• The From address uses a domain you control.
• Your subject and message do not resemble deceptive or bulk spam.
• Mailing lists contain only people who agreed to receive messages.
• Invalid and unsubscribed recipients are removed.
• Your mailbox password has not been compromised.

See Email server settings: IMAP, POP3 and SMTP and How to set up SPF, DKIM and DMARC for my domain.

Avoid exceeding sending limits

The cPanel sending limit is 300 messages per hour per domain. DirectAdmin sending limits vary by server.

Do not use a normal shared-hosting mailbox for large newsletters or bulk campaigns. Use a specialist mailing service with consent, unsubscribe and bounce-management features.

Check for a compromised mailbox

Warning signs include:

• Messages in Sent that you did not send
• Unexpected delivery failures
• A sudden increase in outgoing mail
• Password prompts on multiple devices
• Recipients reporting suspicious messages from your address

Change the mailbox password immediately and update every device that uses it. See How to reset or change an email account password.

Still stuck?

Open a support ticket and include:

• Your domain and affected email address
• Whether the problem affects incoming or outgoing mail
• Whether you use cPanel or DirectAdmin
• The sender and recipient addresses
• The date and approximate time of a sample message
• The complete message headers
• Any bounce or rejection message
• Your current spam score and allow-list settings
• Whether SPF, DKIM and DMARC pass