Error: You have just used SMTP to receive mail

poppyseed · 6 May 2013, 02:14 AM

I keep getting an email from fastmail, saying that I have just used SMTP to receive a message. What? How could this be? I haven't changed anything and I followed their instructions to the letter in setting it up years ago (unless I read them wrong?) and I have been receiving email just fine until these things started coming.

I'm on the free account level, so I can't get support on this one. I've used fastmail for years and years and haven't changed a thing. I have used email in general for years and years, and I'm generally successful in setting up the account properly with no problems. I've only recently started getting these emails from fastmail.

It's frustrating. Fastmail tells me that they can't even discuss this with me because I'm on the free account and I don't get tech support on this level. Okay, no problem, but I'm still mystified as to what happened. Did they change something on their end? Did the rules change? Did I do something on my end?

Any clues or info anyone has on this would be helpful. Thanks!

Adrian Bell · 6 May 2013, 03:22 AM

Are you sure that is what the message says? SMTP is for sending, not receiving. It is not available at the free level.

poppyseed · 6 May 2013, 03:49 PM

Here is the message below, in its entirety. Completely mystifying to me.

I wrote to the tech support people and asked them, and they started answering, up to a point, at which point they said they couldn't really tell me anything because my membership level doesn't give me access to tech support.

I went to the link inside the email and I redid the settings for my email by followig the directions to the letter, I think, even though I hadn't changed anything and it should have worked without me redoing the settings. After I redid the settings, I'm still getting the message below.

It should go without saying that I don't really want to use SMTP for receiving mail. It just started doing this by itself. I just want it to go back the way it was, using IMAP to receive mail.

--------------

Dear FastMail.FM User,

You have just used our SMTP server for receiving email.

This service is not provided at your membership level.

Although you may use your email software to access the service for
receiving email via IMAP at all membership levels, you must upgrade if
you want to use SMTP for receiving email.

Please see our help pages for complete details on how to setup your email
software to access your account to send and receive emails.

http://www.f-m.fm/help/remote_email_...and_ports.html

If you do wish to use this service, please upgrade your account to the
appropriate level. You can do this by logging in into the web site and
clicking 'Options' and then 'Upgrade' to upgrade your account, which
takes only a few moments.

If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us by replying to
this email. If you can not get your email software to work in order to
reply, simply use the web interface to reply.

Sincerely,

The FastMail.FM Team
webmaster@f-m.fm

FredOnline · 6 May 2013, 04:08 PM

My thought would be that, if I'm happy that my settings are correct - is there someone else with access to my account?

Have you checked your login log - that may show logins other than your own.

kijinbear · 6 May 2013, 04:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poppyseed

You have just used our SMTP server for receiving email.

That sounds really weird. AFAIK it's not even possible to use SMTP to "receive email", unless they mean an incoming message used their SMTP server -- in which case it's impossible NOT to use SMTP.

Let's wait for an FM representative to jump in and explain the error.

just1acc · 6 May 2013, 06:38 PM

webmaster@f-m.fm

Probably someone pretending to be Fastmail Representative. Is that id is verified by any FM employee?

Adrian Bell · 6 May 2013, 06:45 PM

poppyseed: What software are you using to receive mail: eg. Outlook, Windows Mail, Thunderbird?

Any Fastmail.fm rep: Is that a real message from Fastmail.fm? SMTP for receiving?

robn · 6 May 2013, 07:15 PM

The text is a bug. Its supposed to say "SMTP for sending". I've made a note to myself to check/fix it in the morning.

The fact that you're receiving that email itself though its probably not a bug. That's a form email you receive whenever you try to use a service that's not permitted at your service level. In this case you're trying to send mail via SMTP through mail.messagingengine.com. Check your client config; you'll need to use your ISP or some other SMTP server.

kurianja · 6 May 2013, 08:00 PM

Yes, that appears to be a message from us. That 'smtp for receiving' is a bug in the notification generation code, and I believe I've fixed it. Its not rolled out yet though, should be in a couple of days.

Meanwhile, in the case of the OP, it should be due to using the SMTP server at the Guest level. Check your outgoing email SMTP configuration in your email client, and change it so that the client uses the email server of your Internet Service Provider for outgoing emails. That should stop any further notifications.

kurianja · 6 May 2013, 08:02 PM

Oops, robn. Opened several threads in tabs, so saw your post only after I made mine and the page refreshed.

robn · 6 May 2013, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kurianja

Oops, robn. Opened several threads in tabs, so saw your post only after I made mine and the page refreshed.

That's ok, you fixed the bug and saved me a job

I'll roll it out now.

poppyseed · 7 May 2013, 01:26 AM

Hmm, this is even more of a mystery, then. I have my account set up so it sends using one of my gmail accounts' SMTP, so why is it saying I'm trying to use fastmail SMTP? And yes, thank you, I have checked it and yes, I know which field to use to change the sending option.

AND: I have purposely stopped using that account for anything. Since the message was that I was *receiving* email via SMTP, I thought I was receiving stuff but was not allowed to see it. I haven't sent anything from it. So why am I even receiving this at all?

I'll check the logs, as @FredOnline suggested, to see if someone else is sending from my account... er, where are they? I'll go hunting...

@Adrian Bell I'm using Apple Mail on Mountain Lion.

poppyseed · 7 May 2013, 01:35 AM

BTW, when someone tries to send using fastmail SMTP but the account is not qualified to do so, does the email really get sent and then fastmail notifies me after the fact? Or does fastmail block the email so it doesn't get sent?

I'm asking because the message states that I just used fastmail SMTP to send something.

I'm off to check those logs... if I can find them...

yassarali · 7 May 2013, 02:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poppyseed

BTW, when someone tries to send using fastmail SMTP but the account is not qualified to do so, does the email really get sent and then fastmail notifies me after the fact? Or does fastmail block the email so it doesn't get sent?

The email doesn't get sent. The sending would fail if you don't have SMTP access which is what the notification is pointing to.

You can check the "Account->Login Logs" screen to find out the SMTP access status and the IP where the SMTP access came from.

-Yassar.

poppyseed · 7 May 2013, 02:48 AM

Okay, I checked my logins: There are 923 logins from the last 2 weeks, all originating from my IP address.

So someone is using my ip address to try to send email from my fastmail account. Most of the logins are attempts through smtp, but some of them are through imap. The smtp ones say "service not permitted" but the imap ones don't say that. Are the imap ones just my email program checking in to collect mail from fastmail?

Now what? Maybe I have a spambot living in my computer that's sending out spams? No one else touches my computer but me. I don't see any strange vans parked across the street. I've got wpa2 on my wireless.

If they're spammers sending out spam from my fastmail account, are they also sending out from my other imap accounts?? How would I find out? Oh, I guess see if they've got logs to check, like fastmail does...

I've just done a test, where I sent an email from my fastmail account. It went out just fine and was received just fine.

Any clues?? Thanks!

6 May 2013, 02:14 AM	#1
poppyseed Junior Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 7	Error: You have just used SMTP to receive mail I keep getting an email from fastmail, saying that I have just used SMTP to receive a message. What? How could this be? I haven't changed anything and I followed their instructions to the letter in setting it up years ago (unless I read them wrong?) and I have been receiving email just fine until these things started coming. I'm on the free account level, so I can't get support on this one. I've used fastmail for years and years and haven't changed a thing. I have used email in general for years and years, and I'm generally successful in setting up the account properly with no problems. I've only recently started getting these emails from fastmail. It's frustrating. Fastmail tells me that they can't even discuss this with me because I'm on the free account and I don't get tech support on this level. Okay, no problem, but I'm still mystified as to what happened. Did they change something on their end? Did the rules change? Did I do something on my end? Any clues or info anyone has on this would be helpful. Thanks!

6 May 2013, 03:49 PM	#3
poppyseed Junior Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 7	Here's the email I receive all the time Here is the message below, in its entirety. Completely mystifying to me. I wrote to the tech support people and asked them, and they started answering, up to a point, at which point they said they couldn't really tell me anything because my membership level doesn't give me access to tech support. I went to the link inside the email and I redid the settings for my email by followig the directions to the letter, I think, even though I hadn't changed anything and it should have worked without me redoing the settings. After I redid the settings, I'm still getting the message below. It should go without saying that I don't really want to use SMTP for receiving mail. It just started doing this by itself. I just want it to go back the way it was, using IMAP to receive mail. -------------- Dear FastMail.FM User, You have just used our SMTP server for receiving email. This service is not provided at your membership level. Although you may use your email software to access the service for receiving email via IMAP at all membership levels, you must upgrade if you want to use SMTP for receiving email. Please see our help pages for complete details on how to setup your email software to access your account to send and receive emails. http://www.f-m.fm/help/remote_email_...and_ports.html If you do wish to use this service, please upgrade your account to the appropriate level. You can do this by logging in into the web site and clicking 'Options' and then 'Upgrade' to upgrade your account, which takes only a few moments. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us by replying to this email. If you can not get your email software to work in order to reply, simply use the web interface to reply. Sincerely, The FastMail.FM Team webmaster@f-m.fm

7 May 2013, 01:26 AM	#12
poppyseed Junior Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 7	Another mystery x2 Hmm, this is even more of a mystery, then. I have my account set up so it sends using one of my gmail accounts' SMTP, so why is it saying I'm trying to use fastmail SMTP? And yes, thank you, I have checked it and yes, I know which field to use to change the sending option. AND: I have purposely stopped using that account for anything. Since the message was that I was receiving email via SMTP, I thought I was receiving stuff but was not allowed to see it. I haven't sent anything from it. So why am I even receiving this at all? I'll check the logs, as @FredOnline suggested, to see if someone else is sending from my account... er, where are they? I'll go hunting... @Adrian Bell I'm using Apple Mail on Mountain Lion.

7 May 2013, 01:35 AM	#13
poppyseed Junior Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 7	BTW how long does this go on for? BTW, when someone tries to send using fastmail SMTP but the account is not qualified to do so, does the email really get sent and then fastmail notifies me after the fact? Or does fastmail block the email so it doesn't get sent? I'm asking because the message states that I just used fastmail SMTP to send something. I'm off to check those logs... if I can find them...

7 May 2013, 02:48 AM	#15
poppyseed Junior Member Join Date: May 2013 Posts: 7	Logins Okay, I checked my logins: There are 923 logins from the last 2 weeks, all originating from my IP address. So someone is using my ip address to try to send email from my fastmail account. Most of the logins are attempts through smtp, but some of them are through imap. The smtp ones say "service not permitted" but the imap ones don't say that. Are the imap ones just my email program checking in to collect mail from fastmail? Now what? Maybe I have a spambot living in my computer that's sending out spams? No one else touches my computer but me. I don't see any strange vans parked across the street. I've got wpa2 on my wireless. If they're spammers sending out spam from my fastmail account, are they also sending out from my other imap accounts?? How would I find out? Oh, I guess see if they've got logs to check, like fastmail does... I've just done a test, where I sent an email from my fastmail account. It went out just fine and was received just fine. Any clues?? Thanks!

6 May 2013, 03:22 AM	#2
Adrian Bell Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Darlington, UK Posts: 938	Are you sure that is what the message says? SMTP is for sending, not receiving. It is not available at the free level.

6 May 2013, 04:08 PM	#4
FredOnline The "e" in e-mail Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Manchester UK Posts: 2,616	My thought would be that, if I'm happy that my settings are correct - is there someone else with access to my account? Have you checked your login log - that may show logins other than your own.

6 May 2013, 06:38 PM	#6
just1acc Essential Contributor Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 441	webmaster@f-m.fm Probably someone pretending to be Fastmail Representative. Is that id is verified by any FM employee?

6 May 2013, 06:45 PM	#7
Adrian Bell Cornerstone of the Community Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Darlington, UK Posts: 938	poppyseed: What software are you using to receive mail: eg. Outlook, Windows Mail, Thunderbird? Any Fastmail.fm rep: Is that a real message from Fastmail.fm? SMTP for receiving?

6 May 2013, 07:15 PM	#8
robn Master of the @ Join Date: May 2012 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 1,007 Representative of: Fastmail.fm	The text is a bug. Its supposed to say "SMTP for sending". I've made a note to myself to check/fix it in the morning. The fact that you're receiving that email itself though its probably not a bug. That's a form email you receive whenever you try to use a service that's not permitted at your service level. In this case you're trying to send mail via SMTP through mail.messagingengine.com. Check your client config; you'll need to use your ISP or some other SMTP server.

6 May 2013, 08:00 PM	#9
kurianja Master of the @ Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 1,395 Representative of: Fastmail.FM	Yes, that appears to be a message from us. That 'smtp for receiving' is a bug in the notification generation code, and I believe I've fixed it. Its not rolled out yet though, should be in a couple of days. Meanwhile, in the case of the OP, it should be due to using the SMTP server at the Guest level. Check your outgoing email SMTP configuration in your email client, and change it so that the client uses the email server of your Internet Service Provider for outgoing emails. That should stop any further notifications.

6 May 2013, 08:02 PM	#10
kurianja Master of the @ Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 1,395 Representative of: Fastmail.FM	Oops, robn. Opened several threads in tabs, so saw your post only after I made mine and the page refreshed.