Managing Unwanted E-mail
Most e-mail accounts are subject to some unwanted mail. However, the information outlined below will be helpful in managing it.
Spam
Boston University uses SpamAssassin to automatically filter unwanted mail at the central mail gateway. Our centralized filtering helps to minimize the number of unwanted messages that get through to @bu.edu accounts, and the vast majority of people reading BU e-mail do not experience a significant problem with spam.
Spoofed Messages and Phishing
This category of spam is particularly harmful because it can tempt you into providing personal information (such as passwords or credit card numbers) that you should not provide. Please ignore and delete this kind of message. Boston University will never ask for your password via e-mail, and neither should any legitimate organization. A good rule of thumb is that you should delete the message and go straight to the known-legitimate website of the organization you want to interact with, before providing secure information.
Abuse
Abusive, harassing, or threatening messages, especially those directed to you personally, or to you as a member of a group, should always be reported. You should forward them to abuse@bu.edu. If possible, it’s helpful to include the message’s full headers.
