Why are password reset emails being blocked by Optimum/Altice, and how can it be fixed?
Summary
What email marketers say10Marketer opinions
Email marketer from TechSupportForum.com suggests a few reasons for email blocking. The marketer mentions that one reason could be the email volume from the domain. If the domain is new, it is advised to warm the domain up by starting with a lower amount of emails and increasing from there.
Email marketer from AuthSMTP explains to use double opt-in when collecting email addresses. Double opt-in helps by verifiying the authenticity of each subscriber.
Email marketer from Litmus goes over the importance of improving domain reputation by ensuring the DNS records are set up properly, avoid spam traps, and send emails that users want.
Email marketer from Mailjet recommends using dedicated IPs to control your sender reputation. They explain having your own IP will isolate you from the sending practices of other users which is beneficial for sending important email.
Email marketer from Reddit explains that the IP address your emails are being sent from might be blacklisted by Optimum/Altice. They suggest checking the IP against common blacklists using online tools and requesting delisting if necessary.
Email marketer from EmailGeek Community Forum suggests that blocks from Optimum/Altice are typically caused by spam filter triggers relating to domain reputation, IP reputation, or content.
Marketer from Email Geeks checked the IPs and confirmed that the blocks are not Cloudmark related. He adds that all reports are unblocks and the messages weren't marked as spammy by them, so if they ended up in a spam folder, it must have been due to a policy at the customer's end.
Email marketer from Sendgrid answers explains that low sender reputation is one of the top reasons emails end up in the spam or junk folders. To improve sender reputation, the marketer states to use a consistent IP address and domain name and keep spam complaints low.
Email marketer from Reddit explains setting up feedback loops is important to understand what users are marking as spam. When a user marks an email as spam, the feedback loop will inform the sender.
Email marketer from StackExchange explains that incorrect SPF and DKIM records can cause password reset emails to be blocked. They advise checking that these records are properly configured for the sending domain.
What the experts say4Expert opinions
Expert from Email Geeks suggests there may be a technical error causing problems, such as the rDNS not matching, a weird SMTP configuration, or incorrect authentication.
Expert from Spam Resource explains that dealing with blocks from specific ISPs like Optimum/Altice often involves understanding their specific filtering rules, which are often opaque. The best approach is often to contact their postmaster directly, but response rates can vary.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that authentication issues such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC misconfigurations are major factors in deliverability problems, especially for automated messages like password resets. She explains to make sure they are properly set up, and that your sending infrastructure is correctly configured.
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that maintaining a clean IP reputation is vital for ensuring your messages are delivered. A low IP reputation makes it difficult to have your emails delivered to the inbox. They mention to monitor blacklists and engage in responsible sending practices to maintain a healthy IP reputation.
What the documentation says5Technical articles
Documentation from RFC Editor describes the importance of proper SMTP authentication to avoid being marked as spam. They explain to ensure that reverse DNS is correctly set up and matches the sending domain.
Documentation from Mandrill explains that maintaining a good sender reputation is key to deliverability. They explain the importance of monitoring bounce rates and user complaints, and taking action to address any issues.
Documentation from SparkPost goes over the importance of list hygiene. It goes over removing inactive addresses to improve engagement rate.
Documentation from dmarc.org answers that DMARC helps protect against spoofing and phishing attacks. Using DMARC helps mailbox providers like Optimum/Altice know that you are serious about protecting you and your users.
Documentation from Microsoft shares that one reason for email ending up in the junk folder is because the email is from a new sender. To address this make sure you are adding senders to your Safe Senders list.