Report Message Button in Outlook
The Report Message button in Outlook, is an email security measure. The option allows you to report suspicious messages to Microsoft as well as manage how your Microsoft 365 email account treats these messages.
In the Outlook program, this button is located on the ribbon.
In Outlook Web App (mail.farmingdale.edu), you will find the Report Message options when clicking on Junk in the menu bar.
Messages that your email account marks as junk are automatically moved to your Junk Email folder. However, spammers and phishing attempts are continually evolving. If you receive a junk email in your inbox, you can use the Report Message button to send the message to Microsoft to help them improve our spam filters. If you find an email in your Junk Email folder that's not spam, you can use the Report Message button to mark it as a legitimate email, move the message to your Inbox and report the false positive to help Microsoft improve our spam filters.
Report a message
If you choose the Report Message button on the ribbon, you'll see several different
options below.
If you choose Junk, Phishing or Not Junk, you'll have the option to send a copy of the message to Microsoft along with your classification of the message. This is optional. To turn off the option to send a copy of the message to Microsoft, choose Options and then follow the steps listed below.
What's Junk email?
Junk email messages are typically referred to as spam. These are messages that you
don't want to receive that may be advertising products you don't use or find offensive.
If you choose the Junk option, a copy of the message may be sent to Microsoft to help
update our spam filters and the message will be moved from your Inbox to your Junk
Email folder.
What's phishing?
Phishing is the practice of luring you into disclosing personal information, such
as bank account numbers and passwords. Often phishing messages look legitimate but
have deceptive links that actually open fake websites. If you select Phishing, a
copy of your message may be sent to Microsoft to help update our filters and the message
will be moved from your Inbox to your Junk Email folder.
What's a legitimate email?
If you know the sender and you're expecting the message or if you receive a message
that's mistakenly marked as junk, you can use the Report Message button to mark the
message as Not Junk. This will move the message from the Junk Email folder back to
your Inbox.
Report Message Options
Choosing Options from the Report Message button allows you to choose whether messages
are automatically sent to Microsoft when they're reported as junk or phishing attempts.
To change your Report Message options:
- Choose Options from the Report Message button on the Ribbon.
- Select one of the following options:
- Always send a copy of the message to Microsoft
- Never send a copy of the message to Microsoft
- Ask before sending a copy of the message to Microsoft
- Once you've made your selection, choose Save.