Rejected mail due to character sets.

[Guest]

Outlook 2003, POP3 mail accounts: In the past two days, I have found 3 users
whose sent mail is being rejected, with the following message: "The user does
not accept email in non-Western (non-Latin) character sets". I like the
Outlook 2003 security features, (Junk Email Settings/Blocked encoding list,
etc.), but this is maddening.
Neither user has changed any of their settings recently, added a signature,
etc., yet these failed messages have just begun. As a matter of fact, I
solved two of the three instances, by clicking around on the
"Tools"_"Options"_"Mail Format"_"Internet Format" settings, but (like so many
times with MS Products), I'm not sure WHAT I did to solve it.
BTW: one of the accounts rejecting this mail was an Outlook 2002 account.
Has anyone else run into this issue (especially recently)? Thanks, in
advance.

 

[Brian Tillman]

Outlook 2003, POP3 mail accounts: In the past two days, I have found
3 users whose sent mail is being rejected, with the following
message: "The user does not accept email in non-Western (non-Latin)
character sets".

While I don't think the Junk E-mail filter sends back responses like that,
check Actions>Junk-Email>Junk E-mail Options>International>Blocked Encodings
List.

 

[Guest]

Thanks, Brian; good shot, but those settings were where I started. The first
PC that was rejecting mail (and, by the way, the user's OWN cc of sent mail
was being rejected), had NONE of the checkmarks checked in these settings.

The issue is with the SENDING PC's format, and (like I said, I fixed it
twice), I'd like to narrow it down to the ONE thing I did that fixed it,
while leaving some restrictions on the receiving PC (like, rejecting mail in
Thai or Cyrillic character sets.

Please, folks, hasn't anyone else run into this? Maybe I posted it wrongly.
Thanks!
-s

 

[Billy Proctor]

I am having the same problem here please let me know what you find out.

 

[Guest]

Thank, Billy: here's what I've done:
1. In Outlook 2003: Tools_Options_Mail Format Tab.
2. It doesn't seem to matter what settings I have in the "Internet Format"
section, but it's safest to convert to plain text. No encoding (checkbox at
bottom). OK on that window.
3. The "International Options" button brings up a window: I checked all 3
boxes and selected "Western European (Windows)" as the preferred encoding
type. THIS is where I think I'm making a difference. Default seems to be
"Western European (ISO)". I wish I could be sure, though.
4. Follow Brian Tillman's suggestion (above) on a PC that is rejecting mail
with this error, but (like I replied to him), I had mail being rejected, even
without any boxes checked in the section he points to.
More input anyone? Thanks!
CD1

 

[John Cooper]

I think it may have to do with the server, not your email set up. I have an
email at "xxx".com, and one at Ameritech.net. Here are the results:

From Ameritech to "xxx".com - error
From Ameritech to Ameritech - OK
From "xxx" .com to "xxx".com - OK
From "xxx".com to Ameritech - OK

So, it looks like it depends upon either or:
My outgoing settings and the incoming server

Any help?

 

[John Cooper]

More info....

1. I went to my email service and had to disable the option of NOT accepting
email in non latin languages. They have started to put this in due to
spammers trying to get around spam guards.

2. Very Interesting though is that even when I sent English messages from
Ameritech to my server, I would get the error Message. Fix: Go to
Tools>Options>Mail Format> International Options. DESELECT "Auto select
encoding for outgoing messages". Then, I don't have any problem at all.

Conclusion: Your email server may have a spam filter for non latin languages.
If someone is sending you a message and enables the "auto select encoding
for outgoing messages", they may get that error message. Fix: make sure you
disable (if you can) that spam control from your server.

I don't know if this is correct, but it worked for me

 

[Guest]

I guess I'll address both, John, and I appreciate your input, i really do.
BUT:
1. The first instance I ran into having this rejection due to character sets
was on a user's computer that was rejecting her OWN cc's of messages to
herself. That takes it out of the server realm, doesn't it? Also, we solved
the issue by changing about 6 different settings in her Outlook.
2. I think there may be some merit in your second reply; by unchecking
"automatically select the encoding type" and setting both to English, it may
have had some effect on the issue (but like my original question said, I'd
really like to know the ONE thing I've done to solve it; running through
multiple steps (maybe some of them unnecessary!) is more inexact than I like
to be.
3. Not a mail server issue or spam filter issue (at least on the server
end), because (remember, 3 different instances on 3 different workgroups,
domains and email settings) I don't have a spam filter running on the server
side.
Again, thanks for your input; I'd really like to find the ONE thing that
fixes it. Good news; it has stayed fixed; none of the three clients have had
the problem again.
-CD1

 

[Guest]

Hi

We have just starting having this problem with one of our email accounts
here in the office - one of 5, all set the same, and one of the rejections is
from another office email. Very frustrating.

Does anyone have any further suggestions?

It does help knowing this is not just a problem here.

Thanks

Robyn

 

[Guest]

Same with us. The "fix" didn't work. I think it lies with the server.

A question is brought up about the encoding - does anyone know possible
differences in results (receiving/not receiving) between US-ASCII, Western
European ISO, and W. E. Windows?