# Spam return path, LinkedIn

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spam-return-path-linkedin/938515>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 23, 2021, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spam-return-path-linkedin/938515 "2021-03-23T21:18:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spam-return-path-linkedin/938515/1 "2021-03-23T21:18:06Z")

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I’ve been receiving a lot of spam in my inbox, which shouldn’t happen because an address has to be put into my address book to go there; otherwise it goes to the Suspect folder. The headers all have Return-Path: \<Return@linkedin[dot]com\>. (Dot replace by [dot] so it doesn’t link here.) The addresses in the ‘From:’ line are all different.

Question: If the ‘From:’ address is not in my address book, and the LinkedIn address is not in my address book, why is spam going into my inbox?

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**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2021, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spam-return-path-linkedin/938515/2 "2021-03-23T22:25:18Z")

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What email client are you using? How did you set up the requirement that an address has to be in your address book or else it goes to a Suspect folder?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spam-return-path-linkedin/938515/3 "2021-03-24T03:55:25Z")

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Earthlink. (More accurately, netcom; which became Earthlink.) I set it up by choosing this option:

**Suspect Email Blocking —** Highest Protection  
Messages from unknown senders (those not in your Address Book) are redirected to your **Suspect Email** folder. This setting includes Known spam Blocking.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [March 24, 2021, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spam-return-path-linkedin/938515/4 "2021-03-24T23:33:42Z")

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I suppose the simplest cause might be the email blocking feature is not working properly.

I was trying to think of some scenario where the From header might be malformed in such a way as to not be processed - does the email show the ‘from’ address when you view it in the client (i.e. not the raw headers, but rendered)?