Bouncing an email to sender

[BjarneB]

For a start I want to say that make sure Thunderbird does not become a bloatware, software often tends to do! I just like it as it is, neat and manageable.

Next, back in the days before I started using Thunderbird I had IncrediMail as my mail client. It has a grand function that I have missed ever since. The ability of “bouncing an email to sender”.

You receive a lot of junk mail yourself, right … but you will direct a new one into the Junk folder. But even the same junk still will keep coming it will automatically end up in the junk folder due to your prior selection status.

Say you do not want a sender to know that your mail address still is valid, like an former lover … that's where the beauty of bouncing comes in. The marked email/sender for bouncing received a fake email with a inauthentic sender reference stating that the email did not arrive at the intended email address and that the email address was not found. The target for the bouncing would therefore assume that the email address was obsolete and most likely never write you again! Just loved that function 🙂

Cheers Bjarne

[Teladi]

I whole hearted agree that this would be a great addition. I have filters created to sort spam and send to deleted folder but it does not deter repeated emails from senders who just make small aleration to senders address. Far better to be able to signify account no longer valid. If enough are bounced hopefully sender will remove an address instead of reciprient having to cancel the address and notify everyone of the new account every few months.

[frankcord1953]

Bouncing an email back to the sender would be a GREAT addition. I receive A LOT of junk email and have to setup filters to keep them out of my Inbox. Bouncing the email back to the sender would go a LONG way in getting my email address removed from these sender's lists.

[DWM826]

Bounce feature for Thunderbird

Many years ago, there was an email program called Mail Washer, but it's long gone. One great feature it had was the ability to "bounce" unwanted emails back to the sender. So, if you got a junk email, you bounced it back, and the sender would get a daemon error indicating an invalid address. In theory, at least, you might then be removed from the sender's list.

This would be a great feature for Thunderbird.

[Jon]

Thanks for submitting an idea to the Mozilla Connect community! Your idea is now open to votes (aka kudos) and comments.

[MattAuSupport]

1. Mailwasher is still out there. https://www.mailwasher.net/

2. bouncing an email  will not work very well in getting you unsubscribed from a spammer list.  Most bounce message go to some unsuspecting individual as back scatter and get the sending mail server blacklisted for sending spam.

[DWM826]

Although not a computer geek, I think I get it.

Would it be possible to somehow mark a message as "block," such that it would never reach your inbox? With my phone system, any number I have blocked gets a message saying the person is not taking calls, even if they call a hundred times.  Couldn't that also be possible with email?

"Message not accepted" or "Message blocked" might appear back to them. Yes, the spammers trying to sell something use multiple addresses, but they could all be blocked.

Just a thought.

[WinnieV]

Bounce feature for Thunderbird

I used incredimail for years and the function I liked was the ability to bounce unwanted junk mail back to the sender, it would go a long way for getting less junk mail.

[Jon]

(Note: similar ideas have been merged into this thread)

[cwburch]

I'm still using a program called Mailwasher. I've found that after the junk mail sender receives anywhere between 3 to 10 bounce returns in a row, I stop receiving e-mail from that e-mail address. Apparently, a lot of this junk mail crap is automated using mailing lists. After so many bounces in a row,my email is (apparently) removed from their list and the junk mail from that source stops.
The real pain for me, is on those occasions I forget to run Mailwasher before firing up TB. Having this functionality built in to the program or even as a add-on to the program would be great! I'm a self-employed computer consultant and quite a lot of my business clients love and use Thunderbird. I know a fair amount of them have donated to the cause too. Not all unfortunately. But over 80-85% of my clients have at least once. They all ask me when they get the chance, if TB will ever have this type of a feature as "a part of" the e-mail program one way or another. Of course, I can't give them an answer.... yet! Maybe soon?