# Fix "550 This message was classified as SPAM"
Source: https://docs.webgee.com/en/email/understanding-and-resolving-the-550-this-message-was-classified-as-spam-error



Your message bounced with:

```
550 This message was classified as SPAM and may not be delivered
```

Applies to all outgoing mail from WebGee servers.

Outbound mail is scored before it leaves, and anything above the threshold is
returned to you rather than sent. This protects the sending reputation of the IP
addresses shared by every customer on the server — once an IP is blacklisted,
mail from everyone using it starts failing.

## The most common cause: no SMTP authentication [#the-most-common-cause-no-smtp-authentication]

If your mail client sends without authenticating, several points are added to
the score immediately. That alone can push an otherwise ordinary message over
the threshold.

Check your outgoing server settings:

1. Find the outgoing (SMTP) settings in your mail client.
2. Ensure **"My outgoing server requires authentication"** is enabled.
3. Set it to use the **same username and password as incoming mail** — your full
   email address and mailbox password.

Full settings are in [Email server settings](/en/email/manual-configuration).

This is worth checking first even if you believe it is already on. Some clients
silently drop the setting when a password changes.

## Then look at the content [#then-look-at-the-content]

Spam scoring reacts to a set of well-known signals. In a legitimate message, one
or two are usually responsible:

* **A subject in capitals**, or heavy exclamation marks.
* **Wording typical of bulk mail** — "act now", "limited time", "click here",
  guaranteed returns.
* **An image with almost no text.** A message that is one large image scores
  badly, because that is how spam evades text filters.
* **Shortened links.** `bit.ly` and similar hide the destination and are heavily
  penalised. Use the full URL.
* **Mismatched From address.** The sending address must be on a domain you are
  authenticated for.

Reword and resend. If it goes through, the content was the cause.

## If it is a mailing list or bulk send [#if-it-is-a-mailing-list-or-bulk-send]

Sending the same message to a large list from a normal mailbox will be scored as
spam regardless of content, and will hit your
[sending limits](/en/email/email-sending-limits). Use a dedicated bulk mail
service for that — it is what they exist for, and it keeps your domain's
reputation intact.

## If legitimate mail keeps failing [#if-legitimate-mail-keeps-failing]

Confirm your authentication records are correct — a domain whose SPF or DKIM
does not validate scores worse on every message:

* [SPF records for WebGee hosting](/en/email/what-are-the-correct-spf-records-when-using-webgee-hosting)
* [Publish a DMARC record](/en/email/publishing-dmarc-records-on-your-cpanel-domain)

If all of that is in order and ordinary messages are still rejected, open a
ticket with the **full bounce message** and the
[message headers](/en/email/how-to-obtain-email-headers-a-step-by-step-guide).

## Related [#related]

* [Why are my emails being marked as spam?](/en/email/why-are-my-emails-being-marked-as-spam)
* [Spam and virus filtering](/en/email/spam-and-virus-filtering)
* [Email sending limits](/en/email/email-sending-limits)