Microsoft/Outlook:
- Replaced SmartScreen with Exchange Online Protection (EOP)
- Weighs IP reputation more heavily than domain reputation
- New senders face "presumed guilty" default
- Since May 2025: rejects non-compliant bulk with 550 5.7.515
- Focused Inbox ≠ spam filtering (predicts interest, not spam)
Yahoo/AOL (shared infrastructure):
- Evaluates authentication, reputation, engagement, content, complaints
- No whitelisting program — inbox placement can't be guaranteed
- Same thresholds: <0.1% complaint rate recommended, >0.3% triggers restrictions
"Spam trigger words" are mostly a myth in 2025:
- Modern ML evaluates context, not keywords
- Character tricks ("fr33", "M4ke M0ney") are now RED FLAGS
- What matters: sender reputation + authentication + engagement
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