Blocked emails still show in inbox and junk mail

How did you block the messages?

If it was with rules and if these messages are spam, rules tend to not work well as the spammers vary the content and structure.

If there’s a consistent pattern, then either the rules are not capturing the pattern within the mail correctly or some rule higher up the list is conflicting with and interrupting the detection.

If the patterns are consistent, also consider blocking the messages on the mail server, if that’s an option for the mail provider.

camas00 wrote:

My issue is only with iCloud messages. Is there anyway to make junk filters more rigorous? more effective?

Junk mail filtering isn’t an easy task. You’ll want to train the filters. Apple has instructions for that. See below.

Beyond the integrated filtering in iCloud (and which can also sometimes drop legitimate mail messages, much to the annoyance of folks), I use SpamSieve running on an always-on Mac.

Here is what Apple states about iCloud junk mail filtering, and how to train the filters:

Identify and filter junk mail in iCloud - Apple Support

Have you reviewed the sender address to see that the underlying sender address is what you expect?

View the message raw source, and see if the sender string varies from message to message.

Spammers routinely vary the sender string, which means simplistic blocks and rules will fail.

If this is a simplistic and non-varying sender, I use either rules on the Mac for that, or rules running on the mail server.

The block or the rule or the mail server rule takes place immediately for all newly-arriving mail, if it matches.

As the Apple mail filtering was had poor results against spam, I’ve long ago started using the SpamSieve app.

thank you! I don't use gmail as my primary, but I filter things through it because I find junk mail filters so fiddly and unreliable. If you have any ideas for iMessage, please share! I can block, but I wish there were rules...

camas00 wrote:

I have had the Filter Unknown Senders option turned on for years and yet I get several spam texts per day delivered. Blocking each number only seems to multiply them.

The attackers are automated and algorithm-driven.

It’s a business.

Treat it as such.

And as with all of this dreck, lists are re-sold.

Responding to one draws more.

Etc.

Check with your cellular prover about SMS blocking options, beyond what the folks at Apple might offer.

Contact your legislators as well, as they’re the folks centrally involved in privacy and regulation, too.

Related:

Filter and block messages on iPhone - Apple Support

Finder unknown senders:

Block phone numbers, contacts, and emails on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch - Apple Support

My issue is only with iCloud messages. Is there anyway to make junk filters more rigorous? more effective?

Thank you. This is helpful. Would it also help to forward iCloud messages through my gmail account to take advantage of their filters?

Though I do have a gmail address, I don’t particularly use gmail. I use what was described. Try training the Apple filters.

I have had the Filter Unknown Senders option turned on for years and yet I get several spam texts per day delivered. Blocking each number only seems to multiply them.