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When I block an unwanted Outlook email, Outlook says it has been blocked, but in most cases I keep getting the unwanted email

gerry braun 20 Reputation points
2025-12-03T20:59:30.4166667+00:00

When I block emails from organizations I don't want to hear from, in all cases Outlook says they are blocked. In most cases they turn out not to be. Too much unwanted mail is coming in through Outlook.

Microsoft 365 and Office | Other
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  1. Carlo Luna 5,155 Reputation points Independent Advisor
    2025-12-03T21:39:29.63+00:00

    Hi Gerry,

    Thanks for reaching out. I understand how frustrating it is when blocked senders still get through. This usually happens because spammers change addresses or spoof domains, so Outlook can’t catch every variation.

    First, instead of relying only on “Block Sender,” create Inbox Rules to move emails from certain domains or with keywords straight to Junk or Deleted Items.

    Second, check your Safe Senders list and remove any unwanted addresses, then set your Junk Email filter to “High” or “Safe Lists Only” for stricter filtering.

    Third, if you’re on Microsoft 365, use the Tenant Allow/Block List in the Microsoft Defender portal for organization-wide blocking.

    Last, report suspicious emails as phishing rather than just junk, this helps Microsoft improve its filters faster.

    I hope you find this information helpful. Please let me know if you have any further questions If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer".

    Regards,
    Carlo

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  1. Q&A Assist
    2025-12-03T20:59:39.8233333+00:00
    AI generated content. This question contains an answer created with AI from Q&A Assist. Learn more

    When you block emails in Outlook, it should prevent those emails from reaching your inbox. However, if you continue to receive unwanted emails from organizations you've blocked, there could be a few reasons for this:

    1. Blocked Senders List: Ensure that the email addresses you want to block are correctly added to your Blocked Senders list. This list only affects the mailbox where it's configured.
    2. Anti-Spam Policies: If multiple users are affected, consider using blocked sender lists or blocked domain lists in anti-spam policies. This can provide a broader scope of blocking unwanted emails.
    3. Junk Email Settings: Check your junk email settings to ensure they are configured correctly. Sometimes, legitimate emails can be misclassified as spam, especially if they come from a recognizable source.
    4. Email Variations: Organizations may use different email addresses or domains to send emails. Blocking one address may not stop emails from other variations.
    5. Unsubscribing: If the unwanted emails are newsletters or promotional emails, consider unsubscribing from them directly, as this is often more effective than blocking.

    If you continue to face issues, reviewing your junk email settings or consulting with your IT department for further assistance may be beneficial.

    References:

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  2. gatotten 90 Reputation points
    2025-12-06T13:12:56.9866667+00:00

    Uuuugh, Microsoft doesn't want you to know the email address to forward Phishing mails to- they marked out the email address in my previous comment! Go to https://grok.com and enter the following phrase, "What is the Microsoft email that I should use to forward phishing emails?". Grok will respond with the correct email (that MS blocks here) and instructions for forwarding the email,including How to Forward the Headers correctly. This is the only thing that has worked - try it and let me know. Thanks.

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