[zazuke]

The easiest and best filter is to screen emails. Only emails that were screened in once go to your inbox. It's that easy. HEY.com introduced it, and I can't see email without it; that's why I integrated it into my TUI email client, neomd [1]. Since then, when I get an email from Amazon that lands in my "To Screen" box, I am automatically alerted and know it is potentially spam, because I have approved Amazon and legit emails land in my inbox. Check it out, it's that easy. Neomd works with Fastmail or any other IMAP/SMTP email provider.

No AI needed, and also no stupid AI summary, as you only get a few legit emails to your inbox, never spam anymore.

[1] https://neomd.ssp.sh

[bradfa]

So the natural extension of this would be plugins which have curated open source allow-lists? Similar to how I trust uBlock Origin's default ad filtering block-lists, I would similarly trust a curated open source allow-list for email domains, and then I would add my own from the "to screen" folder?

[zazuke]

Oh, that's a great idea. Currently, every user has their own private list (it's just text files). It takes a bit of work initially, as you need to approve each email, but it's totally worth it. And it must be per user IMO, as your friends and family have different emails, so its less about public or legit domain, but more what domain and e-mail YOU trust.

But great idea, what i added is the opposite direcrection: showing if a sender used spy pixel. There I used public spylists I found.

[GlibMonkeyDeath]

This is basically where I (and I imagine many others) have landed with the telephone. Anyone not in my contacts goes to voice mail. Made my phone usable again.

[hylaride]

This certainly helps, but I still get spoofed calls from my bank - and there's legit reasons for my bank to contact me.

[zazuke]

still not many are doing it with emails. but great point, tough we all still have to pick unknown calls here and there as we expect someone, so with the email screener it's even better, as each email has a sender.

[GlibMonkeyDeath]

That is the drawback - sometimes important calls come from someone not in my contacts (like an emergency where someone borrowed a phone, or a contractor trying to call you.) Still, the beauty of voice mail is that, if the caller is really trying to reach you, they will leave a message. Some random number with no message is almost assuredly spam. That model wouldn't work with email (you would need an equivalent real-time notification of an email going to a spam folder, then the user would have to decide to send to spam or not send anything.)

Anyone without caller id is also suspicious. Emails have a sender, but it is also about as reliable as a caller id (i.e. not very) when it comes to identity.