# How to block spam that uses BCC? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 12, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-block-spam-that-uses-bcc/339678 "2006-01-12T16:56:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ParadoxMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@ParadoxMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParadoxMan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-block-spam-that-uses-bcc/339678/1 "2006-01-12T16:56:03Z")
I’ve recently took a little deeper look at some of the spam mail that I get and amazingly the address it is sent to does not have my e-mail address on it although is some case it’s fairly close. So after a little internet research I discovered that many spammer use the BCC line to get the email past the filters. But I haven’t found a way yet to selectively blockout e-mail being sent to me using BCC. What I want to be able to do is block any and all e-mail coming to me that have anything listed under BCC since I don’t have any reason to receive this kind of mail from anyone. Does anyone know of a way to do this? I think this would all but eliminate the spam mail I routinely receive. ---
**Author:** ![ParadoxMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@ParadoxMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParadoxMan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-block-spam-that-uses-bcc/339678/2 "2006-01-12T16:57:45Z")
I forgot to add that this is using Win XP and Microsoft Outlook 2003 ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-block-spam-that-uses-bcc/339678/3 "2006-01-12T17:00:42Z")
As far as I know you can’t do anything with it. CC and BCC are lists of names to the E-Mail _server_ about whom should also get copies of the same E-Mail. The difference between the two is that the server does not forward the BCC list in the E-Mail headers and thus, you do not see it. About the only way you can really gain access to information like that is to run your own E-Mail server and give everyone that E-Mail address. Obviously this has its drawbacks… ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-block-spam-that-uses-bcc/339678/4 "2006-01-12T18:28:38Z")
So why not block all mail that DOESNT have your name on it? ---
**Author:** ![ParadoxMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@ParadoxMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParadoxMan)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-block-spam-that-uses-bcc/339678/5 "2006-01-12T19:45:17Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > So why not block all mail that DOESNT have your name on it? That is a great solution. I looked for that rule before and somehow must have overlooked it :smack: Evidently I only looked at the template rules instead of the custom ones. So now all I have to do use the rule ‘if my name isn’t in the to: box’ and send all of that junk directly to the trash. Say bye-bye to spam Many many thanks 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2006, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-block-spam-that-uses-bcc/339678/6 "2006-01-12T20:36:45Z")
Except that some legitimate mail will be sent without your name in the To: field. If you can identify those messages, you can exclude them from this filter.