Email problems with AT&T/Bellsouth/SBCGlobal Recipients - August 2022

(or other domains hosted by AT&T/Bellsouth)

RefTown is having trouble sending emails to customers with ATT/BellSouth/SBCGlobal email addresses (domains owned by AT&T). The ATT email servers are boucning all RefTown emails indicating we're on a blacklist.

The message we receive from their servers is like this:

            Remote server (144.160.235.144) issued an error.
               hMailServer sent: MAIL FROM:<mailer@reftown.com>
               Remote server replied: 553 5.3.0 alph755 DNSBL:RBL 521< 50.126.79.46 >_is_blocked

Note the messages says DNSBL:RBL. That is a service (a BlackList) that is used to block emails from known spammers.

We have run our IP address and domain through multiple sites that verify that our IP address is not on any blacklists:

• https://mxtoolbox.com/SuperTool.aspx?action=blacklist%3a50.126.79.46+&run=toolpage
• https://www.dnsbl.info/dnsbl-database-check.php (check 50.126.79.46).
• https://www.dnswatch.info/dns/rbl-lookup?host=50.126.79.46&submit=RBL+Lookup

All of these services indicate that we're clear. It seems att/bellsouth has an issue with their spam checking.

We filed a request with ATT on Friday 7/29/2022, Monday 8/1/2022, and again on Wednesday 8/3/2022. Despite thier automated responses indicating it would be addresses in 24-48 hours, it is still not resolved.

What You Can Do...

If you are an affected user, please report it to your email provider to let them know they they're blocking valid emails. That may expidite thier response if thier customers are reporting the problem.