Prefix feature results in all aliases using it getting eaten

[VanguardLH]

I thought I'd start using the prefix feature. This is where I can supposedly specify that a prefix be used on any newly generated alias (after I defined the prefix) for the alias to be valid and generated by SG. Nope, instead all e-mails sent to an alias with the prefix get eaten so it works in reverse: rather than require a prefix to define the alias, a non-blank prefix results in all prefixed aliases getting eaten (so the alias doesn't get created and all e-mails to it are discarded).

Before I enabled the prefix option (which is blank by default so no prefix is required for new aliases), an example alias e-mail address give to a sender might look like:

{word}.{mysgacct}@xoxy.net

If an e-mail get sent to that alias, it remains viable until its threshold count gets decremented to zero even after I later define a non-blank prefix. That is, once defined the alias is usable until it counts down to zero. Then I defined a non-blank prefix which was:

Prefix: LH
(just 2 characters)

I then sent an e-mail to the following alias:

lh.{word}.{mysgacct}@xoxy.net

Instead of SG creating the new alias and forwarding the e-mail through it, SG ate the e-mail that used a properly prefixed alias. The eaten log shows all e-mails sent to the LH-prefixed alias were getting eaten.

Although characters in an e-mail address are supposed to be case insensitive, I changed the prefix setting in SG account to lowercase, as in:

prefix: lh

I then resent the test e-mail to lh.{word}.{mysgacct}@xoxy.net but it still got eaten. With a non-blank prefix setting, any e-mails sent to an alias with that prefix were getting eaten by SG (so they never got delivered).

So I gave up on using the prefix feature and set it to a blank value (the only way to disable it). E-mails sent to {word}.{mysgacct}@xoxy.net work just fine to get delivered through the non-prefixed alias.

The description of the prefix feature says the syntax is {prefix}.{alias}; that is, the prefix is followed by a . (dot) character and not just prepended onto the first word in the alias.

{prefix}.{word}.{count}.{sgacct} is shown as correct
{prefix}{word}.{count}.{sgacct} is not shown as proper use

I figured it would be useful to prevent template spamming of my aliases. Someone using an old alias of {oldprefix}.{word}.{mysgacct}@xoxy.net could just slap in any word to get their spam through a new alias. If I zeroed out the old alias (to disable any more spam getting through it) and later changed the prefix to a new value then the spammer sending to {oldprefix}.{anywordtheywant}.{mysgacct)@xoxy.net would get blocked (eaten) because the old alias is dead, a new prefix is defined, and now they'd have to use something like {newprefix}.{word}.{mysgacct}@xoxy.net but it would take awhile before they lucked upon my new prefix.

Does the prefix feature work?

[VanguardLH]

Thinking there might be something screwed up in my SG account regarding the use of a non-blank prefix, I created a new SG acount. Nope, I defined a non-blank prefix but e-mails sent using it end up getting "eaten" (discarded upon delivery). So the prefix feature is broken. In its current state, it does make it possible to effectively close an SG account by preventing any e-mails getting forwarded by that SG account (so I really don't have to use a random prefix string as suggested before to effectively close an account).

[DyNama]

no one replied? i understand the use of a count, which can be a word--it gets translated to a number, up to 20, according to the first letter--is optional when one is not using a prefix, but when one is using a prefix, wouldn't the word be used as a count?

lh.word.mysg@xoxy.net would use "word" as the count, the "w" would make it 20, so sg would create a new email address "lh" with 20 emails allowed, no? it would effectively eat the "word", and the "lh" would not technically be a prefix tho it may satisfy SG's prefix programming.

the prefix system, which i've never used, would seem to demand a 4-part address: prefix.word.count_num_or_word.mysg@xoxy.net. the prefix is only used in the *creation* of new addresses, so if a prefix is entered and a new address doesn't satisfy the prefix rule, the disposable address is not created and all emails to it are eaten. that's what's happening, no?

[VanguardLH]

I had forgotten about the translation from word to numeric value as the threshold count. I'd had always used a number and gotten used to it being an optional parameter.

On the Advanced page, it says:

If you specify a prefix, the system will not create a new disposable address without it. This will protect you if you believe someone other than you is making up new addresses with your username.

The format of a prefixed disposable email address is:
prefix.someword.x.user@spamgourmet.com

So the example shows that the threshold count must be included when you enable the prefix function. I will retest later (no time at the moment) if prefixing works with the addition of a threshold count but it looks like prefixing mandates the threshold count be included.

I don't know how many SG users employ the prefix function. I can't be the only one that decided to use it but got the syntax wrong (or maybe I am). From the lack of responses, it looks like prefixing is rarely used. Perhaps the feature's description should add:

When prefixing is enabled, the disposable e-mail address MUST specify the max count parameter (as a number or a word that gets converted to a number). Parsing requires all 4 parts in the username (prefix, alias, count, sgacct) when prefixing is enabled."

Thanks, DyNama, for the reminder regarding the word conversion to number affecting the syntax for prefixed aliases.