I've got a domain that I registered but rarely use. It has some basic email setup with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC in place, but I keep getting DMARC reports from Google about it sending mail, even though I don't actually send any emails from this domain. The strange thing is that all the reports are coming from the same IP address in China. Since this domain isn't actively being used, I'm not sure how to tackle this issue. Google has even blocked my server from sending emails due to a low reputation, and I can't figure out what to do since the emails aren't originating from my server. Should I just remove the domain from DNS completely, or is there a better way to restore my reputation if I decide to use it in the future?
3 Answers
A good strategy would be to start sending legitimate emails from your domain to help build a positive reputation. You might consider setting up trial emails to accounts on Gmail or Yahoo so you can keep marking them as 'not spam' if they're flagged.
You should set your SPF and DMARC policies to reject unauthorized emails. If configured correctly, Google shouldn't be blocking your legitimate emails because of this spammer.
Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do if those emails are spam; most providers should categorize them as spam. Keep an eye on your DMARC reports, though, since they might help monitor the situation.
That’s actually a solid plan! Setting up test emails can really help your reputation. It’s good to have those emails even if you’re not using the domain actively.