Rate limit to Gmail / Google workspace

simz8

• April 04, 2024 07:18

Hello, 

on my cpanel installation i have only two domains. The vast majority of emails are being sent by only one of them (almost 99% of outgoing emails). The volume, especially to Gmail/Google workspace recipients, is not significant (around 200-300 emails / day), so i don't see why it is considered a "Bulk sender" which are servers sending over 5000  emails to Google per day. 

On this domain i have SPF record set, DMARC record set and all emails are being signed with DKIM. 

Yesterday it started rate limiting. I have experienced the same thing a couple of months ago but that was before i added a DMARC policy record. When i added a DMARC policy record, it gradually stopped rate limiting. 

But now i do not see any reason for that behavior. 

The exact message from Google is ""SMTP error from remote mail server after end of data: 421-4.7.28 Gmail has detected an unusual rate of unsolicited mail originating\n421-4.7.28 from your IP Netblock [XXX.XXX.XXX.XXX 34]. To protect our users\n421-4.7.28 from spam, mail sent from your IP Netblock has been temporarily rate\n421-4.7.28 limited. For more information, go to\n421-4.7.28 https://support.google.com/mail/?p=UnsolicitedRateLimitError to\n421 4.7.28 review our Bulk Email Senders Guidelines. i2-20020a2ea362000000b002d42cf212f1si4637294ljn.456 - gsmtp""

Does that message mean that Google is rate limiting a whole netblock of my VPS provider, possibly because of the behavior of other mail servers inside that netblock?

Can you please provide me with any tips or someone is experiencing similar behavior? I am really frustrated and don't know what to do.

Thank you 

• 

  ITHKBO

  • April 04, 2024 14:50

  Neighbors can indeed have influence on the decision they use to either ratelimit, block the mails. I would suggest checking for any bad status on a /24 netmask at a site like https://talosintelligence.com/reputation_center/

  In addition you might want to use mxtoolbox feature for second verification of the results.
  https://mxtoolbox.com/emailhealth/

  If either shows signs of blocks in conjunction with some poor email reputation signs from neighbors in the Talosintelligence test it might be wise to contact the hosting provider to have a further look into the matter.

  Google uses there own internal reputation, blacklist however they do feed it with data from external RBL's from time to time. Also keep in mind that the 5000 daily limit imposed by Google only has to be reached once ever in the domain lifetime for it permanently to be marked (including all subdomains) as a bulk sending domain. Also be sure to always include unsubscription links in the mails as the scanners will trigger on that to if your already classified as a bulksender.

  You will have to talk to a Google representative, engineer for a reclassification request if you can proof you never hit the limit. However getting in contact with them if you do not already have a working relation is not that easy. They have a form but speaking from experience they do not always answer unless you give them additional incentive to do so.

  Form can be found here: https://support.google.com/mail/contact/gmail_bulk_sender_escalation

   

  *Following is unconventional but sometimes helps*
  We sometimes recommend our own clients to sign up for a Google Workspace subscription if they have an issue only Google can rectify. That way they can make use of there support line there to hopefully get the ball rolling internally if you already have a form filled out. Even than it is not guarantee that they will investigate. But they are at least obligated to answer with a yes or no regarding the question as you pay for the support. Sometimes its worth that extra money even if a client will never actually use it just for extra methods to contact them.

  I can not tell you how long it will take as that can vary greatly. Some client had contact in a few days others toke weeks. If you have SEO contact at Google asking them might help to. It is officially of course not something they are involved with how ever if you already have a good working relation with them it can help with again getting the ball rolling. 
  
  Best of luck with the situation.

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  simz8

  • April 04, 2024 16:20
  • Edited

  Thank you ITHKBO for your response.

  Checking with a /24 netmask at https://talosintelligence.com/reputation_center/
  did not come up with any neighboring IPs with Poor reputation. Only 25 other servers exist under this subnet. :( But i think that does not exclude the possibility that unsolicited email is coming from them. 

  INdeed Google support is the saddest thing. I had a similar problem with Microsoft/office 365 accounts where my VPS was being blacklisted due to some neigbors' behaviour and they responded within a day, quickly de -listing my IP only. 

  My biggest concern is if at some point the "rate limiting" behavior will turn to "permanent rejection" and all of this because of some neighboring IPs behavior. 

  I will also contact my VPS's ISP and see if they can isolate the bulk sending servers inside the netblock

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