Use a specific mailbox or alias for every forwarding address
Plesk email forwarding should be configured only for genuine recipients such as sales@yourdomain.co.uk. Do not enable a domain-wide catch-all for mail sent to non-existent addresses. A catch-all accepts spam sent to random recipient names and can cause that spam to be forwarded through UKC systems.
UKC recommended configuration: Create explicit aliases for every address you need, configure forwarding only on those addresses, and reject email sent to all other non-existent recipients.
Choose an alias or a forwarder
- Alias: Use this when an alternative address should deliver to an existing mailbox. For example, make sales@yourdomain.co.uk an alias of an existing mailbox.
- Forwarder: Use this only when messages for one specific recipient need to be sent to another genuine internal or external address.
- Catch-all: Do not use this for ordinary forwarding. It accepts messages for every made-up address at the domain.
Configure forwarding safely in Plesk
- Sign in to Plesk and open Mail.
- Create all required mailboxes and aliases first.
- Open the specific email address that needs forwarding and select Forwarding.
- Enable mail forwarding and enter only the intended destination address.
- Open Mail, then Mail Settings for the domain.
- For mail sent to non-existent recipients, select Reject.
- Do not select Forward to address for non-existent recipients.
Why unknown recipients should be rejected
Rejecting an unknown recipient happens during SMTP delivery. It does not reject mail for valid mailboxes, aliases or explicit forwarders. It reduces unwanted processing and prevents the server from accepting spam addressed to randomly generated names.
External forwarding can also forward incoming spam to the destination provider. Excessive unwanted forwarding may affect the UKC server's mail reputation, so forward only addresses that are genuinely required.
Unsure which old addresses are still needed?
Do not enable a catch-all while you investigate. Contact UKC Support with the domain and the historic addresses you may need, but never include a mailbox or account password.
For screenshots, examples and more detail, read How to Configure Email Forwarding Safely in Plesk.
