What are spam traps and blocklists?

To keep a good sender reputation, you need to remember about the list quality. Keeping blocked contacts or spam traps off of your list is one way to make sure you have a quality list.  

Spam traps

Spam traps are email addresses used by the ISPs (Internet Service Providers) to identify spammers. ISPs can create a pure spam trap, recycle a previously valid email address, or use an address with typos. Spam traps aren’t operated by a real person, and they add no value to your list. 

Sending email messages to a spam trap can impact the reputation and deliverability of the sender. 

Mailing spam traps can lead to email addresses being blocked or the sender themselves being blocklisted by the ISP. 

To do their job, spam traps must be kept secret. We can’t reveal which email address is a spam trap.

Blocklist

A blocklist is a method of blocking specific email addresses or domains. Blocklists can be created by ISPs or GetResponse directly. We use the blocklist to protect you from sending to unsafe email addresses that could lower your sender reputation. The email addresses are blocked globally, which means they can’t be added to any GetResponse account.  

Why valid email addresses end up on blocklists? 

Valid email addresses can sometimes end up on a blocklist as a result of repeated hard bounces or other security measures we have in place to protect your sender reputation. 

If any of your valid addresses end up on our blocklist, contact our Customer Success Team and provide the blocklisted email address. We’ll check what can be done to remove such an address from the blocklist. 

How to avoid blocklists and spam traps?

To avoid blocklists and spam traps make sure that you: 

• Remove contacts that have been unengaged for more than 6 months.
• Monitor your bounce and complaint results.
• Verify your list with external tools before uploading it to GetResponse.
• React to unsubscribe requests sent to you directly.
• Don’t use purchased or borrowed lists.