Boxbe Frequently Asked Questions
General
What is Boxbe?
Boxbe is a socially-powered email screening service that reduces email overload and prioritizes your email. Boxbe helps ensure email from friends is always delivered with priority. Boxbe works with popular email providers including Yahoo Mail, Gmail, AOL, and with email domains hosted in Google Apps.
How does Boxbe work?
When you sign up for a Boxbe account, you easily set up a guest list that specifies who can reach you. New senders can be added to the guest list with a simple approval step.
Does Boxbe work with any email service?
Boxbe works directly with Yahoo! Mail, Gmail and AOL Mail.
You can also use Boxbe as a Public Email Address (yourname@boxbe.com); the Public Email Address will forward to any email address.
What about [some other service we haven't named]?
If you use another email client or service you would like us to consider, or you'd like us to keep you posted on our next releases, just email us at feedback@boxbe.com.
What prevents people from sending me messages I don't want?
Mail will only be delivered to your inbox under conditions you control and Boxbe enforces on your behalf. Mail is delivered if:
- you have added the sender or the domain (you can upload the approved emails from your address book, automatically add senders based on emails you have received and sent, or manually add them easily), or
- the sender passes a simple robot-proof test
How do I retrieve my password if I've forgotten it?
To retrieve your password, please use the Password Recovery page.
Account Information
How do I get help with Boxbe?
Boxbe provides several ways you can get help, find general information about the service, or learn about specific features:
- For general questions, basic questions about day-to-day use or setup, see the Boxbe FAQ.
- For more detailed discussion of particular issues, HOW-TOs, and tricks, visit Boxbe's forum on Get Satisfaction.
- The Boxbe Blog has Boxbe news, describes upcoming features, and shares our view of developments in the world of email.
- To Contact Boxbe Support, visit Boxbe Contacts.
I want to use Boxbe. What are the requirements?
You must be at least 13 years old, and you must have an existing email account. See our Terms of Service for the details.
How can I close my Boxbe account?
If you're not happy with the Boxbe service or need to close your account for any other reason, please log in and click "Close my Boxbe Account" on the following web page:
https://www.boxbe.com/account-info
You can also email us at support@boxbe.com if you have any issues.
Boxbe is currently free. Will Boxbe remain free?
We are committed to providing a free service. However, Boxbe is a for-profit company with employees, costs and investors, so eventually our services must be self-supporting and profit-generating.
Boxbe's long-term vision is a world where you have significant control over the messages you receive, regardless of who they come from.
Does Boxbe support messages with non-English characters (Internationalization)?
Yes, but not for all products. Boxbe works with non-English character sets with Boxbe for Yahoo! Mail.
However, the Boxbe Public Email Address, Boxbe for Gmail and AOL Mail do not support messages that include non-English characters, which would include Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Greek and more. We hope to fix this in the future.
Internationalization is sometimes referred to as localization, i18n, L10n, wide character support, and multi-byte character support.
Guest List
What is a Boxbe Guest List?
A guest list is all of the email addresses you have approved to email you. Each Boxbe user can set up a guest list. Your guest list helps you build and manage who you receive emails from and makes sure that wanted messages are quickly delivered.
Will my friends be required to sign up?
No, because your friends will have already been pre-approved as part of the process when you are signing up for a Boxbe account.
Will my friends be required to sign up?
No, because your friends will have already been pre-approved as part of the process when you are signing up for a Boxbe account.
What happens when my friends try to send an email to me?
If you have added your friends and family to your Guest List, the email will reach you as it would without Boxbe's service.
The people you have not pre-approved receive an invitation to join your Guest List. The invitation lets the sender take a simple test to confirm they are not a spambot. Once a sender receives an invitation and types in the captcha, the email is delivered. The test is similar to the ones used on websites like Ticketmaster, PayPal or Yahoo (these are called CAPTCHAs - graphic words that a computer cannot read automatically).
Why can't users just rely on their spam filters?
We wouldn't be talking today if spam filters did what they were meant to. Spam filters are imperfect: the unwanted emails easily evade ISPs and the senders are constantly getting better at defeating them, despite the investment in technology solutions to deal with the problem. And we are all paying for it, with cluttered inboxes, and inevitably through the costs that ISPs incur and pass onto us via DSL and cable bills.
Why should I import my contacts?
When you sign up for Boxbe, but don't add many contacts to your account, then Boxbe won't work properly until you add email addresses of people who you regularly receive messages from. Adding contacts makes it easier for you to enjoy a Spam free inbox and for friends, family and co-workers to reach you as easily as ever.
Why should I invite friends to join Boxbe?
Boxbe helps you get email from people who matter to you. The problem is, you don't always know who is going to matter to you. We know that keeping your Guest List up to date isn't an easy job. When friends change jobs or their ISPs, their email addresses change with them. If you mark someone as a friend on your Guest List and they are a Boxbe member, anyone that they have designated as a friend can email you as well. This takes a little of the difficulty of having to update your Guest List to ensure delivery of messages from your friends. We recommend adding all the people that you regularly email as a Friend on Boxbe using the Friends page.
More information about Friends.
How do I import contacts if I use a web email provider?
You can import your contact list into Boxbe using the Import Tool page.
How do I import contacts from a non-web email application, like Outlook?
We recommend exporting your contact list into a file and then importing it into Boxbe using the Desktop Email feature on the Import Tool page.
Click on the "Find out how to export your contacts" to get instructions specifically for your email application.
Waiting List & Junk Rating
What is the Boxbe Waiting List?
The Boxbe Waiting List is where all emails from senders you have not approved arrive. You can view this list at any time. For Yahoo Mail, Gmail and AOL Mail users, the Boxbe Waiting list is a folder in their folder list. For other users, it's on the Boxbe website.
What is the Boxbe Junk Rating?
Boxbe's "junk rating" is a way to make sifting through your Waiting List easier. We've rated messages on a scale of one through ten based on what we think is more or less likely to be email that you would want. Messages are color coded like a traffic light for quick scanning, so when you are busy you can focus on the ones less likely to be spam.
- Green: least likely to be junk mail. Rating 1 - 3.
- Yellow: somewhat likely to be junk mail. Rating 4 - 7.
- Red: most likely junk mail. Rating 8 - 10.
What if I've got messages that aren't spam that have high score?
As no spam scoring software is perfect (!!), the junk rating numbers are to be used as a guide to help you get through your Waiting List more quickly. However, like any guide, use your own judgment when managing your Waiting List.
How long are messages held in the Waiting List?
30 days. If you do not take any action to forward, approve or delete a message in your Waiting List, and if the sender does not take the test, the message will be deleted from the Waiting List 30 days after it was received.
Why are some messages in my Waiting List from people that I have approved?
This is because someone has tried to fake your identity or the identity of someone you know. This is called "spoofing." Boxbe uses sophisticated scanning to scrutinize the message's headers and sender information using new authentication standards such as DKIM (Domain Keys Identified Mail) and SPF (Sender Policy Framework). Major ISPs, online services, and businesses are adopting these standards to ensure that spoofers can be detected. When an email that appears to be from someone you know based on their "Prettyname" (the name you see in your inbox) is in your Boxbe Waiting List, it is because it flunked one of the authentication tests. Check it carefully as odds are it is not actually from that person but masquerading as if it is.
Boxbe for Yahoo! Mail
Setup
How do I set up Boxbe for Yahoo! Mail?
If you already have a Boxbe account, activate Boxbe for Yahoo! Mail here. The process for setting up Boxbe for Yahoo! Mail takes about 2 minutes.
What happens after I sign up?
First, Boxbe will create a new folder in Yahoo! Mail called "Boxbe Waiting List." Next, we'll screen the unread messages in your inbox to find all uninvited email and move it into your Waiting List folder. Last, Boxbe assigns a junk score to the message to give you an idea of how likely the message is to be spam.
Does Boxbe look through Yahoo! Mail's spam folder?
Yes. We understand that most spam filters aren't perfect. Messages from senders on your guest list that mistakenly end up in your Yahoo! Mail spam folder are rescued and moved to your inbox. All other messages receive a Boxbe Junk Score which is prepended to the subject of the message.
Do you check all the email in my inbox?
We check all the unread messages in your inbox. If you have read the message already, we do not check the message against your Guest List.
How do I disable screening on my Yahoo account?
To disable screening on your Yahoo account, simply click "edit" next to your yahoo address. Then, click "disable this email address." If you're dissatisfied with Boxbe for any reason, please write us to let us know why. We greatly appreciate any feedback you can provide that might help us improve the service.
Day to Day Usage
How do I approve new email addresses to my Guest List?
There are two ways to approve new people to your Guest List. First, if a message from someone you have not approved is in your Waiting List, merely click "Add guest email address to your Guest List" in the message itself.
Alternatively, you can go to your Guest List on the Boxbe site and pre-approve anyone you like.
Can I automatically approve people I email?
Yes. This option is pre-selected for you as we anticipate this is how most people would like to use our service.
If you don't want to automatically approve people that you email, you can deselect this option on the Boxbe website.
NOTE: If you do this, anyone you email that is not on your Guest List must take the robot-proof test to email you back.
What happens if the sender isn't pre-approved?
Boxbe holds these messages in your Waiting List folder in Yahoo! Mail. The sender is notified that their message hasn't been delivered and they are given instructions as to how to complete delivery, except for really spammy messages that originally arrived in the Yahoo! Mail spam folder. These senders are not sent invitations to join your guest list to avoid creating web waste.
Can I see messages that are not delivered to my inbox?
Yes. All messages from uninvited guests can be viewed in your Waiting List. You can read messages that are in your Waiting List and choose to allow the sender to continue sending messages by clicking "Add guest email address to my Guest List."
Why do all the messages in my Waiting List have a number in the Subject Line?
All messages in your Waiting List are assigned a Junk Score rating. We determine how likely the message is to be spam.
Email assigned a Junk Score of 1 is least likely to be spam and 10 is most likely to be spam.
- Rating 1-3: least likely to be junk mail.
- Rating 4-7: somewhat likely to be junk mail.
- Rating 8-10: most likely junk mail.
To quickly go through your Waiting List, you can easily sort by subject to find messages from people you may have meant to add to your Guest List.
Do you ever delete messages from the Waiting List?
Yes. We remove messages from the Waiting List on a rolling 30 day basis.
Should I use Boxbe for Yahoo! Mail with a POP email client?
No. Currently, if you use a POP client such as Thunderbird, Outlook Express, Apple Mail, Entourage, Eudora or some other email client, Boxbe for Yahoo! Mail will not work properly.
Known issues
Why do some of the messages that are in my Waiting List sometimes have duplicate information?
There is a known bug in the new non-beta version of Yahoo! Mail. We expect that Yahoo! will fix this bug in the not too distant future.
Some of my messages do not have a junk rating in the subject line. Why is that?
Occasionally, messages that are screened by Boxbe do not get a junk rating attached. This is a known issue and we are working on a solution.
Boxbe for Gmail and Google Apps
Setup
How do I set up Boxbe for Gmail and Google Apps?
If you already have a Boxbe account, activate Boxbe for Gmail and Google Apps here. The terms Gmail and Google Apps are interchangeable in the information below. The process for setting up Boxbe for Gmail or Google Apps takes about 2 minutes.
What happens after I sign up?
First, Boxbe will create a new folder in Gmail called "Boxbe Waiting List." Next, we'll screen the unread messages in your inbox to find all uninvited email and move it into your Waiting List folder. Last, Boxbe assigns a junk score to the message to give you an idea of how likely the message is to be spam.
Does Boxbe look through Gmail's spam folder?
Yes. We understand that most spam filters aren't perfect. Messages from senders on your guest list that mistakenly end up in your Gmail spam folder are rescued and moved to your inbox.
Do you check all the email in my inbox?
We check all the unread messages in your inbox. If you have read the message already, we do not check the message against your Guest List.
How do I disable screening on my Gmail account?
To disable screening on your Gmail account, simply click "edit" next to your gmail address. Then, click "disable this email address." If you're dissatisfied with Boxbe for any reason, please write us to let us know why. We greatly appreciate any feedback you can provide that might help us improve the service.
Day to Day Usage
How do I approve new email addresses to my Guest List?
There are two ways to approve new people to your Guest List. First, if a message from someone you have not approved is in your Waiting List, merely click "Add guest email address to your Guest List" in the message itself.
Alternatively, you can go to your Guest List on the Boxbe site and pre-approve anyone you like.
Can I automatically approve people I email?
Yes. This option is pre-selected for you as we anticipate this is how most people would like to use our service.
If you don't want to automatically approve people that you email, you can deselect this option on the Boxbe website.
NOTE: If you do this, anyone you email that is not on your Guest List must take the robot-proof test to email you back.
What happens if the sender isn't pre-approved?
Boxbe holds these messages in your Waiting List folder in Gmail. The sender is notified that their message hasn't been delivered and they are given instructions as to how to complete delivery, except for really spammy messages that originally arrived in the Gmail spam folder. These senders are not sent invitations to join your guest list to avoid creating web waste.
Can I see messages that are not delivered to my inbox?
Yes. All messages from uninvited guests can be viewed in your Waiting List. You can read messages that are in your Waiting List and choose to allow the sender to continue sending messages by clicking "Add guest email address to my Guest List."
Why do all the messages in my Waiting List have a number in the Subject Line?
All messages in your Waiting List are assigned a Junk Score rating. We determine how likely the message is to be spam.
Email assigned a Junk Score of 1 is least likely to be spam and 10 is most likely to be spam.
- Rating 1-3: least likely to be junk mail.
- Rating 4-7: somewhat likely to be junk mail.
- Rating 8-10: most likely junk mail.
Do you ever delete messages from the Waiting List?
Yes. We remove messages from the Waiting List on a rolling 30 day basis.
Boxbe for AOL Mail
Setup
How do I set up Boxbe for AOL Mail?
If you already have a Boxbe account, activate Boxbe for AOL Mail here. The process for setting up Boxbe for AOL Mail takes about 2 minutes.
What happens after I sign up?
First, Boxbe will create a new folder in AOL Mail called "Boxbe Waiting List." Next, we'll screen the unread messages in your inbox to find all uninvited email and move it into your Waiting List folder. Last, Boxbe assigns a junk score to the message to give you an idea of how likely the message is to be spam.
Does Boxbe look through AOL Mail's spam folder?
Yes. We understand that most spam filters aren't perfect. Messages from senders on your guest list that mistakenly end up in your AOL Mail spam folder are rescued and moved to your inbox. All other messages receive a Boxbe Junk Score which is prepended to the subject of the message.
Do you check all the email in my inbox?
We check all the unread messages in your inbox. If you have read the message already, we do not check the message against your Guest List.
How do I disable screening on my AOL Mail account?
To disable screening on your AOL Mail account, simply click "edit" next to your AOL address. Then, click "disable this email address." If you're dissatisfied with Boxbe for any reason, please write us to let us know why. We greatly appreciate any feedback you can provide that might help us improve the service.
Day to Day Usage
How do I approve new email addresses to my Guest List?
There are two ways to approve new people to your Guest List. First, if a message from someone you have not approved is in your Waiting List, merely click "Add guest email address to your Guest List" in the message itself.
Alternatively, you can go to your Guest List on the Boxbe site and pre-approve anyone you like.
Can I automatically approve people I email?
Yes. This option is pre-selected for you as we anticipate this is how most people would like to use our service.
If you don't want to automatically approve people that you email, you can deselect this option on the Boxbe website.
NOTE: If you do this, anyone you email that is not on your Guest List must take the robot-proof test to email you back.
What happens if the sender isn't pre-approved?
Boxbe holds these messages in your Waiting List folder in AOL Mail. The sender is notified that their message hasn't been delivered and they are given instructions as to how to complete delivery, except for really spammy messages that originally arrived in the AOL Mail spam folder. These senders are not sent invitations to join your guest list to avoid creating web waste.
Can I see messages that are not delivered to my inbox?
Yes. All messages from uninvited guests can be viewed in your Waiting List. You can read messages that are in your Waiting List and choose to allow the sender to continue sending messages by clicking "Add guest email address to my Guest List."
Why do all the messages in my Waiting List have a number in the Subject Line?
All messages in your Waiting List are assigned a Junk Score rating. We determine how likely the message is to be spam.
Email assigned a Junk Score of 1 is least likely to be spam and 10 is most likely to be spam.
- Rating 1-3: least likely to be junk mail.
- Rating 4-7: somewhat likely to be junk mail.
- Rating 8-10: most likely junk mail.
To quickly go through your Waiting List, you can easily sort by subject to find messages from people you may have meant to add to your Guest List.
Do you ever delete messages from the Waiting List?
Yes. We remove messages from the Waiting List on a rolling 30 day basis.
Boxbe as a Public Email Address
Benefits and Usage
What is a Public Email Address?
A public email address is an email address you can publish, post, or give out online. It is an email address you can make "public."
You might think of it as a "one-way" email address, where senders can send to you and you decide which messages are forwarded to your real address and appear in your inbox.
What are the benefits of having a Public Email Address?
You can be reached more easily by those who don't have your private email address, and you have an address that you can share online without concern. It helps you maintain your privacy.
Where should I use my Public Email Address?
You can use your public email address in many places:
- use it on your blog
- put it in your public profiles on MySpace, Facebook or LinkedIn or other online communities
- provide it when you post to a discussion group or community site
- give it to vendors when you buy things online
- use it when you sign up to receive information
- list it as your contact address in public directories
How do I read the mail sent to my Public Email Address?
Boxbe forwards email sent to your public email address to your private email address where you currently read your mail. For example, if your email address is "randy.stewart@gmail.com" and your public email address is "randy@boxbe.com", when someone sends email to "randy@boxbe.com" you can read it at Gmail.