Another SES IP blocked by SpamCop

Question

I tried to send an email this morning, and the recipient's mail server responded with 550 Service unavailable due to a SpamCop block.

```
Reporting-MTA: dns; a27-27.smtp-out.us-west-2.amazonses.com

Action: failed
Final-Recipient: rfc822; example@example.com
Diagnostic-Code: smtp; 550 Service unavailable; Client host [a27-27.smtp-out.us-west-2.amazonses.com] blocked by bl.spamcop.net; 54.240.27.27 (example@example.com:blocked)
Status: 5.3.0
```

https://www.spamcop.net/w3m?action=checkblock&ip=54.240.27.27

The SpamCop lookup suggests this IP will be removed in approximately 14 hours.

The SES FAQ suggests one solution is using a dedicated IP address. What have you done when you've been in my situation?

Answer

Hi Donald, when your email is blocked due to a SpamCop listing, it's likely because the sending IP address is on a blacklist used by various ISPs and email services to prevent spam. These blacklists can have a significant impact on email deliverability. Blacklisting occurs for several reasons, but one primary cause is sending mail to spamtraps, which are addresses not opted in to receive mail and are used to identify and block potential spam sources

https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/messaging-and-targeting/blacklisting-part-2/

In response to a blacklisting event, Amazon SES actively works with the email community to resolve the issue and get the listings removed as quickly as possible, sometimes within a few hours. However, not all blacklists have the same impact; some are more widely used by ISPs than others, affecting deliverability to a greater extent.

Here are steps you can take to address this issue and prevent future occurrences:

1. Monitor your sending statistics through the Amazon SES console to understand the health of your email sending, including bounces, complaints, and rejections.
https://repost.aws/questions/QUs4NaOJa6R3mgiRO7T9ljkg/amazon-ses-blocked-email-address-complaint-emails-to-our-own-company-address

2. Ensure that your email content is not triggering spam filters and that you are not sending to invalid addresses, which could lead to blacklisting.
https://repost.aws/knowledge-center/ses-resolve-emails-not-delivered

3. Authenticate your emails properly. This is crucial for good email deliverability, as it reassures email providers of your identity.
https://www.inboxally.com/blog/amazon-ses-emails-going-to-spam-and-what-to-do-about-it

4. Avoid sending emails to spamtraps by confirming that you have permission to email your recipients and double-checking how recipients are imported into your address list.

If you continue to experience issues, you might consider using a dedicated IP address for sending emails, which can isolate your sending reputation from the activity of others.

Another SES IP blocked by SpamCop

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