Thunderbird flagging everything as junk mail

[laurent22]

Since recently (I'm on v78.5.1) Thunderbird started flagging every new message as spam, even after I've unflagged many similar ones. The pattern is always the same:

- A new email is received, and initially it's not marked as junk
- I click on the email to view it
- Email is marked as read
- Email is flagged as junk (small flame icon is added)

It does it on all my email accounts. I've also tried disabling junk mail detection by switching "Enable adaptive junk mail controls for this account" off, but even when this is off it keeps marking everything as junk.

Any idea what might be the issue and how to make it stop?

[DanRaisch]

Moving to Thunderbird Support.

If the term "spam" actually appearing or are you referring to Thunderbird identifying the messages as Junk?
How is the account set up, as POP or IMAP? In Thunderbird the menu path is Tools->Account Settings->Server Settings->Server Type at the top right of the dialogue.
As a next step, you might try deleting the file training.dat from the Thunderbird profile folder. http://kb.mozillazine.org/Profile_folder_-_Thunderbird
http://kb.mozillazine.org/Files_and_fol ... hunderbird

[laurent22]

I've edited my post to clarify - by "spam" I indeed meant what Thunderbird calls "Junk" (with the flame icon being added).

My account is setup as IMAP.

[laurent22]

Deleting training.dat didn't help and earlier I had also clicked on "Reset training data" in the settings.

[DanRaisch]

For each of the accounts in your Thunderbird proflie, right click on the name of the Inbox folder in the left hand pane of the main Thunderbird screen and select "Properties" from the context menu. Then click on "Repair Folder". Close and restart Thunderbird and see if the issue returns with the next receipt of messages.

[kgdamon]

I have the identical problem to Laurent22's problem. Every incoming email was marked as junk and sent to spam. Two people having the identical problem in one day is curious, at best.
I tried the fix that Dan Raisch suggested - repair inbox - and it did not do anything. Any further ideas? I don't want to have to delete and re-install but is that perhaps the best solution to a corrupted system?

[laurent22]

Same here, repairing the folder (also tried compacting) didn't help.

I see some of my account setting files go back to 2007 so it's possible it's some strange interaction between old data and a recent update that's causing this. I'd rather avoid reinstalling everything too, especially since I'll have to keep most of that data anyway (such as my locally archived emails) so I'm not sure it will actually fix the problem.

[tanstaafl]

See if https://support.cdn.mozilla.net/en-US/questions/1293196 helps.

What antivirus scanner are you using? That is a frequent culprit for many problems. For example ESET has been causing problems lately receiving new mail.

[wsmwk]

I have the identical problem to Laurent22's problem. Every incoming email was marked as junk and sent to spam.

@kgdamon, Must you click on a message first before it goes to spam? Or is your mail already in the spam folder without clicking on the message? If the later, then your issue is not likely to be the same as laurent22's.

Also, does training.dat file exist in your thunderbird profile?

[pfeldmann]

I also have had this "junk" problem as a chronic issue. By this I mean that messages, such as news reports or update items that I receive on a regular, subscription(!) basis are continuously marked as "junk", no matter how many times I have attempted to "train" the program that they are NOT junk! These "not junk" markings are completely disregarded by Thunderbird.

This morning, I received a message from "The Thunderbird Team" about plans for 2021: it was marked "junk" . . . its own team message! (I have a screen shot if anyone wishes to see it, although I have no idea of how to use the img flag.) This is absurd. I may have to abandon TBird due to the fear of loosing important emails as junk . . . I no longer can control this rogue program.

What a mess!

[tanstaafl]

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1176099 describes a similar problem for a IMAP account where it was due to the email provider periodically re-classifying the message as spam.

Does your email provider add any custom headers to messages to indicate whether it thinks they are spam? Use control-U or view -> message source and look for headers beginning with a X- that mention spam such as X-Spam-score: Some email providers might modify the subject to indicate if they think its spam.

pfeldmann: (off-topic)
Out of curiosity what did you do to get "a message from "The Thunderbird Team" about plans for 2021" sent to you? I assume its based on the information at https://developer.thunderbird.net/planning/roadmap .

[pfeldmann]

Thanks for your reply and suggestion. I will try to look at spam settings at my email provider. I use Westhost.com to maintain a domain and website, Bluegrasswest.com which is my major email address provider. Settings are handled via something called c-Panel.

As for what I did to get "The Thunderbird Team" to send me emails, I do not know. Seems like I have used the program for more than a dozen years now . . . maybe they like me! Do you suppose they wear matching Roller Derby jackets?

I can email a screenshot of a typical "self-spamming' message from them if you provide an address.

Happy New Year!

-Peter

[WaltS48]

Thanks for your reply and suggestion. I will try to look at spam settings at my email provider. I use Westhost.com to maintain a domain and website, Bluegrasswest.com which is my major email address provider. Settings are handled via something called c-Panel.

As for what I did to get "The Thunderbird Team" to send me emails, I do not know. Seems like I have used the program for more than a dozen years now . . . maybe they like me! Do you suppose they wear matching Roller Derby jackets?

I can email a screenshot of a typical "self-spamming' message from them if you provide an address.

Happy New Year!

-Peter

Are you subscribed to the tb-planning mailing list?

I am and didn't receive an email. Looking at the Archive it appears one wasn't sent by "The Thunderbird Team" today.

There is a Thunderbird 90 +++ Roadmap sent back in October.

[WaltS48]

pfeldmann: (off-topic)
Out of curiosity what did you do to get "a message from "The Thunderbird Team" about plans for 2021" sent to you? I assume its based on the information at https://developer.thunderbird.net/planning/roadmap .

I have been informed on Matrix that it is a

newsletter sent to the list, donors are offered to subscribe to when donating

That's why I didn't get it. I only donate time.

[mauromol]

Have you found any solution?
I have been seeing this exact same problem since I updated Thunderbird from version 68.x to 78.x in my Kubuntu 20.04 system.
It doesn't happen with ALL e-mails, but with many of them.

It's very annoying.