Yahoo! Inc.

Len Fenkel

Jing Zhu

Miles Libbey

Steven Kenichi Yoshimoto

The invention is directed to a system and method for determining if a 'spam' message is originating from a messaging account by challenging a particular client's outbound email usage with a test that requires verification of content that is easily understood by a human being, not an automated computer program such as those used by 'spammers.' If a limit on the number of recipients for outbound messages has been exceeded, a test is presented the next time a client attempts to send a message. The client must successfully answer the test within a relatively short period of time or else the ability to send messages will be disabled. Once disabled, the client can reinstate the ability to send messages by contacting a representative of the message system out of band, e.g., a telephone call to confirm legitimate outbound email use.

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Pacifica, CA, United States of America

Len Fenkel