Filter Mail With an Empty From: or To: Line in Outlook Express

Have you seen those "messages" that seem to come out of nowhere and official to nowhere either but still end up in your Outlook Express Inbox? I mean the emails created by spammers, worms and what not that have no sender in the From: line and often no recipient in the To: or Cc: lines either.

Due to the way internet email works such messages will often still be transmitted. But you can filter them out or at least highlight them in Outlook Express using a rather simple rule.

To filter mail with an empty From: line in Outlook Express:

• Select Tools | Message Rules | Mail... from the menu.
• Click New....
• Make sure Where the From line contains people is checked.
  • To filter on empty To: lines, check Where the To line contains people.
• Click on contains people under 3. Rule Description.
• Type '@' (without the quotes).
• Click Add.
• Now click Options....
• Make sure Message does not contain the people below is selected under Apply rule if:.
• Click OK.
• Click OK again.
• Select the desired filter action under 2. Select the Actions for your rule: and complete the action under 3. Rule Description if needed.
• Give your rule a meaningful name (like "Empty From: line").
• Click OK.
• Click OK once more.