Hunch that I'm missing emails

audelair · 8 Nov 2008, 12:47 AM

I've been a Fastmail Full user for several years now, and have always found it to be very reliable. However, the past week or so, there have been several instances where I believe emails are not reaching me.

Examples include:
- 2 cases where I placed an online order and did not receive an email confirmation (despite the vendor usually sending one).
- A Facebook notification that someone added me as a friend. I always get these email notifications, and once last week, an email never reached me (I found out only when I logged into Facebook).
- I always get a credit card online statement notification on the 4th or 5th of the month (for the past several years). This time, it is already the 7th, and no email.

In isolation, I would not think anything of this. However, the fact that all these things occurred during the same 7-10 days or so, it appears to be a disturbing trend.

Also, the fact that all of these emails come from different sources, it is hard to believe that this problem simultaneously happened with all these places all within the same time period.

I have checked my Rules and have no rules for rejecting emails. I also have my spam settings set to Normal. I also regularly check my Junk Mail folder.

Any idea what I can do about this? I have been sending myself test emails, and those have all been getting through. So I have no proof that I am missing email.

n5bb · 8 Nov 2008, 01:39 PM

I haven't noticed any problems myself. There are several things you might want to check, including:

Do you have all of the senders you mentioned whitelisted (entered in your online address book)? This is required to be sure that any unusual message content doesn't accidentally trigger the spam filtering.
Normal spam filtering settings do not delete any messages.
However, in your Options>Folders screen you can set a folder to auto-purge after a certain interval. So be sure this isn't eating some of your older messages.
Also, various things can cause messages to be filed into folders. So be sure you aren't overlooking those messages due to folder filing.
Do you ever use an email client on your PC with your Fastmail account? If so, are you using POP or IMAP?
Are these messages supposedly being sent to your main Fastmail login address? Or are they going to an alias or a virtual alias (your own domain)? Or are they being forwarded from another email account or a forwarding service?

Bill

audelair · 9 Nov 2008, 12:30 PM

Hi Bill,

Thanks for the response.
Good idea, regarding whitelisting everyone that I expect emails from. That is something I haven't done yet.

I just checked my folders and nothing is set for auto-purging. I am only using webmail these days, and not IMAP or POP.

It seems all of the emails that I have been "missing" were sent to my subdomain (xxx@username.fastmail.fm). But I do continue to check these by sending test messages and they always go through.

I do admit that it could just be a coincidence of a few emails that the original senders just never sent out, but did find it to be curious. I will give it another couple of weeks, and if I am reasonably sure that I am missing emails (even after whitelisting everyone), I may put in a support request to have someone look into it.

Thanks again for your suggestions!

8 Nov 2008, 12:47 AM	#1
audelair Essential Contributor Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 271	Hunch that I'm missing emails I've been a Fastmail Full user for several years now, and have always found it to be very reliable. However, the past week or so, there have been several instances where I believe emails are not reaching me. Examples include: - 2 cases where I placed an online order and did not receive an email confirmation (despite the vendor usually sending one). - A Facebook notification that someone added me as a friend. I always get these email notifications, and once last week, an email never reached me (I found out only when I logged into Facebook). - I always get a credit card online statement notification on the 4th or 5th of the month (for the past several years). This time, it is already the 7th, and no email. In isolation, I would not think anything of this. However, the fact that all these things occurred during the same 7-10 days or so, it appears to be a disturbing trend. Also, the fact that all of these emails come from different sources, it is hard to believe that this problem simultaneously happened with all these places all within the same time period. I have checked my Rules and have no rules for rejecting emails. I also have my spam settings set to Normal. I also regularly check my Junk Mail folder. Any idea what I can do about this? I have been sending myself test emails, and those have all been getting through. So I have no proof that I am missing email.

8 Nov 2008, 01:39 PM	#2
n5bb Intergalactic Postmaster Join Date: May 2004 Location: Irving, Texas Posts: 8,930	I haven't noticed any problems myself. There are several things you might want to check, including: Do you have all of the senders you mentioned whitelisted (entered in your online address book)? This is required to be sure that any unusual message content doesn't accidentally trigger the spam filtering. Normal spam filtering settings do not delete any messages. However, in your Options>Folders screen you can set a folder to auto-purge after a certain interval. So be sure this isn't eating some of your older messages. Also, various things can cause messages to be filed into folders. So be sure you aren't overlooking those messages due to folder filing. Do you ever use an email client on your PC with your Fastmail account? If so, are you using POP or IMAP? Are these messages supposedly being sent to your main Fastmail login address? Or are they going to an alias or a virtual alias (your own domain)? Or are they being forwarded from another email account or a forwarding service? Bill

9 Nov 2008, 12:30 PM	#3
audelair Essential Contributor Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 271	Hi Bill, Thanks for the response. Good idea, regarding whitelisting everyone that I expect emails from. That is something I haven't done yet. I just checked my folders and nothing is set for auto-purging. I am only using webmail these days, and not IMAP or POP. It seems all of the emails that I have been "missing" were sent to my subdomain (xxx@username.fastmail.fm). But I do continue to check these by sending test messages and they always go through. I do admit that it could just be a coincidence of a few emails that the original senders just never sent out, but did find it to be curious. I will give it another couple of weeks, and if I am reasonably sure that I am missing emails (even after whitelisting everyone), I may put in a support request to have someone look into it. Thanks again for your suggestions!