Common words that trigger spam filters

Below is a current list of the most popular words used in spam emails. As such, these words get higher spam points by evaluators. Once an email has too many spam points, it will get flagged as spam, either by outgoing filters or filters on the incoming mail servers. Using one of these phrases once will not trigger an email as spam, but using a phrase repeatedly or many of these phrases together in the same email can cause it to be flagged as spam.

List of most common terms that trigger spam filters

$$$ Free membership Potential earnings
4U Free money Print form signature
Accept credit cards Free offer Print out and fax
Act now! Don’t hesitate! Free preview Produced and sent out
Additional income Free priority mail Profits
Addresses on CD Free quote Promise you!
All natural Free sample Pure profit
Amazing Free trial Real thing
Apply Online Free website Refinance home
As seen on Full refund Removal instructions
Auto email removal Get It Now Remove in quotes
Avoid bankruptcy Get paid Remove subject
Be amazed Get started now Removes wrinkles
Be your own boss Gift certificate Reply remove subject
Being a member Great offer Requires initial investment
Big bucks Guarantee Reserves the right
Bill 1618 Have you been turned down? Reverses aging
Billing address Join millions of Americans Risk free
Billion dollars Laser printer Round the world
Brand new pager Limited time only S 1618
Bulk email Long distance phone offer Safeguard notice
Buy direct Lose weight spam Satisfaction guaranteed
Buying judgments Lower interest rates Save $
Cable converter Lower monthly payment Save big money
Call free Lowest price Save up to
Call now Luxury car Score with babes
Calling creditors Mail in order form Section 301
Can’t live without Marketing solutions See for yourself
Cancel at any time Mass email Sent in compliance
Cannot be combined with any other offer Meet singles Serious cash
Cash bonus Member stuff Serious only
Cashcashcash Message contains disclaimer Shopping spree
Casino MLM Sign up free today
Cell phone cancer scam Money back Social security number
Cents on the dollar Money making Special promotion
Check or money order Month trial offer Stainless steel
Click below More Internet traffic Stock alert
Click here link Mortgage rates Stock disclaimer statement
Click to remove Multi level marketing Stock pick
Click to remove mailto Name brand Stop snoring
Compare rates New customers only Strong buy
Compete for your business New domain extensions Stuff on sale
Confidentially on all orders Nigerian Subject to credit
Congratulations No age restrictions Supplies are limited
Consolidate debt and credit No catch Take action now
Copy accurately No claim forms Talks about hidden charges
Copy DVDs No cost Talks about prizes
Credit bureaus No credit check Tells you it’s an ad
Credit card offers No disappointment Terms and conditions
Cures baldness No experience The best rates
Dear email No fees The following form
Dear friend No gimmick They keep your money- no refund!
Dear somebody No inventory They’re just giving it away
Different reply to No investment This isn’t junk
Dig up dirt on friends No medical exams This isn’t spam
Direct email No middleman University diplomas
Direct marketing No obligation Unlimited
Discusses search engine listings No purchase necessary Unsecured credit/debt
Do it today No questions asked Urgent
Don’t delete No selling US dollars
Drastically reduced No strings attached Vacation offers
Earn per week Not intended Viagra and other drugs
Easy terms Off shore Wants credit card
Eliminate bad credit Offer expires We hate spam
Email harvest Offers coupon We honor all
Email marketing Offers extra cash Weekend getaway
Expect to earn Offers free (often stolen) passwords What are you waiting for?
Fantastic deal Once in lifetime While supplies last
Fast Viagra delivery One hundred percent free While you sleep
Financial freedom One hundred percent guaranteed Who really wins?
Find out anything One time mailing Why pay more?
For free Online biz opportunity Will not believe your eyes
For instant access Online pharmacy Winner
For just $ (some amt) Only $ Winning
Free access Opportunity Work at home
Free cell phone Opt in You are a winner
Free consultation Order now You have been selected
Free DVD Order status Your income
Free grant money Orders shipped by priority mail
Free hosting Outstanding values
Free installation Pennies a day
Free investment People just leave money laying around
Free leads Please read

19 thoughts on “Common words that trigger spam filters

  1. I’ve been having trouble sending my customers their invoices for over a year. About half of them get to the customer. I don’t get any bounce back email so I don’t know if the customer got the email or not. I only find out after months of not getting paid. It seems to me that they are mostly gmail customers but some of my gmail customers them my invoice. After reading some of the comments here, is this why my emails are net getting to them? Every invoice email is identical with just the customers name different and the name of the attached invoice PDF file. Help would be appreciated.

    1. Sorry to hear that you’re running into trouble with this. I wanted to offer a few tips to help deal with the situation and narrow down what might be causing your emails to be flagged as spam. First, as these emails being sent by you, manually, or using a script on your site? A common cause of errors is using the php mail function instead of SMTP; if you have WordPress, try using WP Mail SMTP or Easy WP SMTP. Double-check the configuration of your SPF and DKIM records, along with your DMARC records — I’d specifically recommend that you configure your DMARC to return rejection/error notices to an email address you create specifically for this purpose. Then you can send a few test messages to troubleshoot the problem.

      Lastly, be sure to check your email error logs, which is easy to do in cPanel, and give you helpful information regarding why specific email may have been rejected. Hope that helps!

  2. This is ridiculous. I suddenly cannot send out a simple work email because apparently there are words triggering your spam filters. I contact support an the robot in charge tells me to reword my email. So now I have a robot telling me to rewrite a business email? And what are the words triggering the sudden spam? I read the list above . Jesus, these are words we use everyday in our business emails. Your filters and algorithms are too severe. There must be a way customers can control these filters. 

    1. Hello,

      Apologies for the frustration with dealing with your outbound emails being labeled as spam. There are valid reasons that these rules are in place. Mainly, it is due to spam being automatically sent by malicious code on websites that lead to the entire server being blacklisted. Blacklisted servers can lead to hundreds or thousands of users being unable to use the email server. We do have documentation on the issue that you can read in this article: 550 This Message Was Classified as SPAM and May Not Be Delivered .

      If you have worked with the other solutions above and are still having issues with your emails getting classified as spam, you will want to contact our Live Support department. Simply forward the failed email complete with the bounceback headers and a request to review the problem in a support ticket (through AMP: https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/amp/submitting-and-checking-on-status-of-tickets/). and they will be able to test the email against the filter and find which rules were violated.

      Kindest regards,
      Arnel C.

  3. The words “Order Status” used as possible triggering words to determine the e-email as spam is particularly bullshit.   That would flag auto response e-mails from more than several ecommerce sites, at least one of which is offered by this host.  I agree with the original OP, what is the point for being that picky?

    Since about May we have had over half our outgoing e-mails get blocked from even making it to the e-mail server.  It is NOT our internet provider which leads us to our web host and their mail server (that we use).  What is even more mind boggling is some e-mails get through to some people, other e-mails to the same people do not go through.  Could be a new e-mail or could be a reply.  There is never any consistency to it.  

  4. I am extremely disappointed in what is going on here.

    An email I received is not delivered when I respond because of “SPAM keywords” on some list (that did not stop it on it’s way in)… defined by who?!

    Has anyone really looked at this list… I read the entire list and it is mind boggling. This is not an attempt at reducing SPAM… this appears more as an exercise in controlling information flow and seeing if everyone will simply buy into it. For example;

    “Apply Online, Billing address, Click below, Congratulations, Free quote, Guarantee, Opportunity, Order status, Terms and conditions, US dollars”….  Really?! I don’t know about you, but if this list gets any longer… working over the internet will be seriously restricted.

    Again, WHO is creating this list?

    1. Hello,

      I can understand your frustration. To answer your question, this list is compiled using common vocabulary found in the Subject of many Spam email messages. This list should not be construed as words that you can not use in emails. However, it should be referenced to assist you with reducing the likelihood of your email’s content being identified as Spam.

  5. I have been having similar problems and it is GREATLY affecting my business!!!!! Please help fix this or I will be forced to change providers.

      1. “following ARnel’s advice” above has left me waiting on hold for support for now 17 minutes. Totally regretting our move 2 weeks ago to InMotion for our email hosting. Nothing but problems and wasted time so far.

      2. Hello and I apologize for any inconvenience. I feel your frustration and want you to help you resolve this. Please check our guide to strengthen email authentication and check for any email errors or if they’re going to spam. Afterwards, please email Live Support with verification, your issues, and your explicit permission to configure your account(s) with that email authentication guide. We’ll work to resolve your issue as soon as possible.

  6. Hello, I need your help because most of my email is counted into SPAM. It is too inconvenient. I am using Japanese so any words I use are not on the list. SOS

    I send it from :[email protected]

                to: [email protected]

    Title:from Natsuko

    Message:???????????? 

    ????????????????????????????????????????

    ???????????????????????????????????????????????????

    ?????????????????????????????

    ???????????????????????

    ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????

    ?????????????

    ????? 

  7. We got the message below. There is noting wrong with the email address we used. That should not happen.

    From: System Administrator
    Sent: Wednesday, April 20, 2016 6:57 AM
    To: [email protected]
    Subject: Undeliverable: [SPAM]Invoice-RE: Translation Done–RE: new job 17003

    Your message did not reach some or all of the intended recipients.

          Subject:  RE: [SPAM]Invoice-RE: Translation Done–RE: new job 17003

          Sent:     4/20/2016 6:57 AM

    The following recipient(s) cannot be reached:

          ‘Eric Cheng’ on 4/20/2016 6:57 AM

    550 information, please see https://www.inmotionhosting.com/support/edu/everything-email/550-spam-message

    Bert

    1. Hello Bert,

      Sorry for the problem with the email delivery. The problem is related to the Spam Assassin filtering outbound messages. Sometimes -depending on the formatting or content of the email – a false positive may be generated which causes the email to be filtered out. You can contact our live technical support team via phone/chat/email in order to have your domain whitelisted so that your outbound emails are not filtered. You will need to verify your account with either the full Account Management Panel (AMP) password or last 4 digits of credit card on the account.

      I hope this helps to answer your question, please let us know if you require any further assistance.

      Regards,
      Arnel C.

  8. This message was created automatically by mail delivery software.

    A message that you sent could not be delivered to one or more of its
    recipients. This is a permanent error. The following address(es) failed:

     

    how can solving this problem

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