# Getting spam email from myself. Help! **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 9, 2015, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-spam-email-from-myself-help/737138 "2015-11-09T21:26:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-spam-email-from-myself-help/737138/1 "2015-11-09T21:26:24Z")
Recently I’ve been getting spam advertisement emails in my Outlook account where the address has been spoofed to be my own. This means I can’t block them as you cannot block your own email address. So how do I combat this? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-spam-email-from-myself-help/737138/2 "2015-11-09T21:32:07Z")
Can you set Outlook to automatically move e-mails “from yourself” to a particular folder? ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-spam-email-from-myself-help/737138/3 "2015-11-09T21:37:15Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Can you set Outlook to automatically move e-mails “from yourself” to a particular folder? How would this be done? Also, that wouldn’t stop them. All that would happen is that folder would get filled up. This is a really sleazy thing for advertisers to do, wouldn’t you say? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-spam-email-from-myself-help/737138/4 "2015-11-09T21:43:42Z")
I just tested a rule in my own Outlook client, moving all mail from me to Deleted Items. It worked. ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-spam-email-from-myself-help/737138/5 "2015-11-09T21:59:52Z")
> [@Atamasama](#): > > I just tested a rule in my own Outlook client, moving all mail from me to Deleted Items. It worked. But then you have to clear out that folder from time to time, don’t you? I’d rather just prevent them from showing up in the first place. But anyway, if I decide to go that route how do I do it? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-spam-email-from-myself-help/737138/6 "2015-11-09T22:10:34Z")
> [@pkbites](#): > > But then you have to clear out that folder from time to time, don’t you? I’d rather just prevent them from showing up in the first place. > > But anyway, if I decide to go that route how do I do it? Set Outlook to empty Deleted Items on exit. Or set the rule to permanently delete such messages if you want to not have a chance of even seeing them. Of course, if you ever do want to send an email to yourself, you can’t. Unless you set up a “code word” as an exception. For example, in the last step in the rules wizard, tell it “except if the subject contains specific words” then pick the words “green banana”. Then when you have to email yourself, include “green banana” in the subject somewhere and it won’t get deleted. Unless someone spams you about green bananas you’re set. If you want step-by-step instructions we need to know what version of Outlook you are using. ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2015, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/getting-spam-email-from-myself-help/737138/7 "2015-11-09T23:03:08Z")
If you’re not already on it, you can route your email through Gmail and keep using it with Outlook. Probably the best spam filter in the world. > **[Use Gmail to Fight Spam](https://www.pcworld.com/article/537065/gmail_to_fight_spam.html)** > > Gmail already offers champion spam-filtering for Gmail accounts. Here's how to leverage it with non-Gmail accounts. Edit: Just to clarify, I’m suggesting this because the “from” field in email is meaningless. Anyone can set it to anything, including yourself or your friends’ addresses. True spam detection relies on other indicators, and Google is in the rather unique position of processing much (most?) of the world’s emails, so they can compare all the spam against each other and do a great job of filtering them.