All the emails to Yahoo!, Hotmail and AOL are going to Spam, though I’ve implemented every validation method (works for Gmail though)

emailspam

I've implemented everything and checked everything (SPF, DomainKey, DKIM, reverse lookup), and only Gmail is allowing my emails to go to Inbox. Yahoo, Hotmail and AOL are all sending my messages to Spam. What am I doing wrong? Please help!

Following are the headers of messages to Yahoo, Hotmail and AOL. I've changed names and domain names. The domain names I'm sending mail from are polluxapp.com and gemini.polluxapp.com.

Yahoo:

From Shift Licensing Tue Jan 26 21:55:14 2010

X-Apparently-To: gamerfromhell13@yahoo.com via 98.136.167.163; Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:59:12 -0800

Return-Path:

X-YahooFilteredBulk: 208.115.108.162

X-YMailISG:
gPlFT1YWLDtTsHSCXAO2fxuGq5RdrsMxPffmkJFHiQyZW.2RGdDQ8OEpzWDYPS.MS_D5mvpu928sYN_86mQ2inD9zVLaVNyVVrmzIFCOHJO2gPwIG8c2
L8WajG4ZRgoTwMFHkyEsefYtRLMg8AmHKnkS0PkPscwpVHtuUD91ghsTSqs4lxEMqhqw60US0cwMn_r_DrWNEUg_sESZsYeZpJcCCPL0wd6zcfKmtYaIk
idsth3gWJPJgpwWtkgPvwsJUU_cmAQ8hAQ7RVM1usEs80PzihTLDR1yKc4RJCsesaf4NUO_yN1cPsbFyiaazKikC.eiQk4Z3VU.8O5Vd8i7mPNyOeAjyt
7IgeA_

X-Originating-IP: [208.115.108.162]

Authentication-Results: mta1035.mail.sk1.yahoo.com from=example.com; domainkeys=pass (ok); from=example.com;
dkim=permerror (bad sig)

Received: from 127.0.0.1 (EHLO gemini.example.com) (208.115.108.162)

by mta1035.mail.sk1.yahoo.com with SMTP; Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:59:12 -0800

Received: from gemini.example.com (gemini [127.0.0.1])

by gemini.example.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 3984E21A0167

for ; Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:55:14 -0800 (PST)

DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha1; c=relaxed; d=example.com; h=to

:subject:from:content-type:message-id:date; s=mail; bh=bRIHfxE3S

e+YeCrIOqziZsiESJA=; b=J+D56Czff+6wGjQycLEvHyT32+06Nngf+6h7Ep6DL

SmmJv3ihiAFJIJiPxiwLNpUsOSHhwJYjYQtynbBnag40A6EUBIsucDR+VoEYD+Cc

9L0dV3QD5D77VpG9PnRQDQa91R+NPIt5og9xbYfUWJ1b/jXkZopb0VTM+H9tandM

24=

DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=example.com; h=to:subject

:from:content-type:message-id:date; q=dns; s=mail; b=pO5YvvjGTXs

3Qa83Ibq9woLq5VSsxUD5uoSrjNrW9ICMmdWyJpb9oT5byFR9hMthomTmfGWkkh6

3VxtD0hb0HVonN+1iheqJ9QBBOctadLCAOPZV3mfA99XUu7Y0DR2qtkU/UkSe8In

5PENWFbwub88ZsRDiW3hCbNHl+UO8Jsc=

Received: by gemini.example.com (Postfix, from userid 502)

id 386DE21A0166; Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:55:14 -0800 (PST)

To: gamerfromhell13@yahoo.com

Subject: Shift License For James Xavier

From: "Shift Licensing"

Content-type: text/html

Message-Id: <20100126215514.386DE21A0166@gemini.example.com>

Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:55:14 -0800 (PST)
Content-Length: 282`

Hotmail:

X-Message-Delivery: Vj0xLjE7dXM9MDtsPTA7YT0wO0Q9MjtTQ0w9Ng==

X-Message-Status: n:0

X-SID-PRA: james@gemini.example.com

X-AUTH-Result: NONE

X-Message-Info: 6sSXyD95QpWzUBaRfzf3NMbaiSGCCYGXSczlzLw49r01I25elu3oYM0V2uNa8BV2O7DOiFEeewTBKMtN+PW+ig==

Received: from gemini.example.com ([208.115.108.162]) by snt0-mc4-f7.Snt0.hotmail.com with Microsoft
SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.3959);

Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:18:53 -0800

Received: from gemini.example.com (gemini [127.0.0.1])

by gemini.example.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9431321A0167

for ; Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:18:53 -0800 (PST)

DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha1; c=relaxed; d=gemini.example.com; h=to

:subject:message-id:date:from; s=mail; bh=DLF0k+uELpY6If5o3SWlSj

7j0vw=; b=nAMpb47xTVh73y6a2rf6V1rtYHuufr46dtuwWtHyFC85QKfZJReJJL

oFIPjgEC28/1wSdy8VbfLG1g64W1hvnJjet3rcyv3ANNYxnFaiH5yt3SDEiLxydS

gjCmNcZXyiVsWtpv7atVRO/t/Own+oFB9zz/9mj43Bhm4bnZ2cTno=

DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gemini.example.com; h=to

:subject:message-id:date:from; q=dns; s=mail; b=sFpNxlskyz4MYT38

BA/rQ6ZAcQjhy7STkLPckrCDVVZcE4/zukHyARq7guMtYCCEjXoIbVEtNikPC97F

cGpJGGZrppTGjx62N0flxG8hvwejiJYnUJF1EIP4JckGWyEI+21vtWLLQ27eegtN

fs9OkIQ2iUPC/4u8N1eqiff0VZU=

Received: by gemini.example.com (Postfix, from userid 504)

id 8ED7221A0166; Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:18:53 -0800 (PST)

To: james.xavier@hotmail.com

Subject: Testing this

Message-Id: <20100126211853.8ED7221A0166@gemini.example.com>

Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:18:53 -0800 (PST)

From: james@gemini.example.com

Return-Path: james@gemini.example.com

X-OriginalArrivalTime: 26 Jan 2010 21:18:54.0039 (UTC) FILETIME=[29CEE670:01CA9ECD]

AOL:

X-AOL-UID: 3158.1902377530

X-AOL-DATE: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 5:07:23 PM Eastern Standard Time

Return-Path:

Received: from rly-mg06.mx.aol.com (rly-mg06.mail.aol.com [172.20.83.112]) by air-mg06.mail.aol.com (v126.13) with
ESMTP id MAILINMG061-a1d4b5f6787a4; Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:07:22 -0500

Received: from gemini.example.com (gemini.example.com [208.115.108.162]) by rly-mg06.mx.aol.com (v125.7) with
ESMTP id MAILRELAYINMG067-a1d4b5f6787a4; Tue, 26 Jan 2010 17:07:04 -0500

Received: from gemini.example.com (gemini [127.0.0.1])

by gemini.example.com (Postfix) with ESMTP id 32B3821A0167

for ; Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:07:03 -0800 (PST)

DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha1; c=relaxed; d=gemini.example.com; h=to

:subject:message-id:date:from; s=mail; bh=RL0GLHd3dZ8IlIHoHIhA/U

cLtUE=; b=BKg4p3qnaIdFRjAbvUa+Hwcyc6W91v4B4hN95dVymJrxyUBycWMUSC

nzKmJ5QllhCYjwO+S7GrRdmlFpjBaK8kt2qmdCyC2UuiDF6xY6MXx/DBF56QpYtZ

YDY4kXdiEMSbooH14B4CCPhaCTdC1wCtV0diat3EANCLxSDYAYq5k=

DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; c=nofws; d=gemini.example.com; h=to

:subject:message-id:date:from; q=dns; s=mail; b=fDSjNpfWs7TfGXda

uio8qbJIyD+UmPL+C0GM1VeeV8FADj6JiYIT1nT3iBwSHlrLFCJ1wxPbE4d9CGl8

gQkPIV6T4TL7ha052nur0EOWoBLoBAOmhTshF/gsIY+/KMibbIczuRyTgIGVV5Tw

GZVGFddVFOYgee7SAu0KNFm7aIk=

Received: by gemini.example.com (Postfix, from userid 504)

id 2D5F521A0166; Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:07:03 -0800 (PST)

To: jamesxavier@aol.com

Subject: Testing

Message-Id: <20100126220703.2D5F521A0166@gemini.example.com>

Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 14:07:03 -0800 (PST)

From: james@gemini.example.com

X-AOL-IP: 208.115.108.162

X-AOL-SCOLL-AUTHENTICATION: mail_rly_antispam_dkim-d227.1 ; domain : gemini.example.com DKIM : pass

X-Mailer: Unknown (No Version)

Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit

Best Answer

In looking at your failures, I have noticed several problems.

The first is that the originating ip for your emails (208.115.108.162) is listed on Five Ten's blacklist (http://www.five-ten-sg.com). Yahoo, Hotmail, and AOL all use their own internal blacklists, and to my knowledge don't rely on third party blacklists (such as Five Ten). That being said, it's a good indicator that something is afoot. You can delist yourself at five ten here: http://www.five-ten-sg.com/blackhole.php?ip=208.115.108.162&Search=Search. Delistings usually take around 12 to 24 hours. While this won't necessarily FIX your Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL problem... you should delist pronto.

The biggest problem is the lack of MX record for gemini.shiftapp.com. The emails are "FROM" james@gemini.shiftapp.com. It is a very common anti-spam tactic to lookup the MX record of the sending domain on incoming email. When AOL etc lookup the MX record for gemini.shiftapp.com, and they see none... they will likely classify as spam on the spot. At the very least, an MX will allow the recipients of these emails to reply.

Reverse DNS: You have a valid PTR record for that IP. AOL etc just simply look to see that PTR records exist... they don't really care what the PTR record returns so you are "good to go" as they say.

I didn't find any SPF records for gemini.shiftapp.com or shiftapp.com. That's ok because SPF never really caught on. Kinda like 8 track or Laser Discs... they look good on paper, but never gained critical mass.

My bet is the lack of MX records. One other thing to consider: make sure your email server is not an open relay (allowing unauthenticated users to send mail to other users not hosted on your server). Also, might be wise to do an audit of all email going through your system... if one of your users is (knowningly or UNknowingly) sending spam through your server, you'll be skating uphill!

Hope this helps, and best of luck! -Chris