Abstract: In a system and method and system for controlling delivery of unsolicited electronic mail messages, one or more spam probe e-mail addresses are created and planted at various sites on the communications network in order to insure their inclusion on large-scale electronic junk mail ("spam") mailing lists. The mailboxes corresponding to the spam probe e-mail addresses are monitored for incoming mail by a spam control center. Upon receipt of incoming mail addressed to the spam probe addresses, the spam control center automatically analyzes the received spam e-mail to identify the source of the message, extracts the spam source data from the message, and generates an alert signal containing the spam source data. This alert signal is broadcast to all network servers and/or all user terminals within the communications network.

Abstract: A system for eliminating unsolicited electronic mail generates and stores a user inclusion list including identification data for identifying e-mail desired by the user. Data from one or more fields of incoming electronic mail messages are compared with the identification data stored in the user inclusion list. If the electronic mail message data matches corresponding identification data from the user inclusion list, the e-mail message is marked with a first display code, such as "OK." If no match is detected, the system performs at least one heuristic process to determine whether the electronic mail message may be of interest to the user. If the message satisfies one or more criteria as determined by the heuristic process and is therefore of potential interest to the user, the message is marked with a second display code, such as "NEW." If the e-mail message does not satisfy any of the heuristic criteria, the e-mail message may be marked with a third display code, such as "JUNK.