Abstract: A method and apparatus to prevent the transmission of unwarranted email in which identification information for an email is analyzed prior to granting a sender authorization to transmit a message within a communication protocol. At the user server, communication with an incoming message is established by a communication technique, for example, an initial handshake procedure. At the incoming server, header information following the handshake signal is analyzed. Header information may commonly identify an originating server and email address, as well as an intended receiver address. The mail server compares header data to an authorization list, which could comprise a black list. Identification of an unauthorized sender generates a flag which is utilized to generate an unauthorized message notification to the sender. The unauthorized message notification to the sender is achieved before the sender has had the opportunity to send the entire message.