Patent ID: 7877448

Claim:
In a data processing device, a method comprising: a processor executing a utility to perform the functions of: automatically assigning a first reply status to an e-mail being transmitted to one or more first e-mail recipients, said first reply status allowing a reply e-mail from the one or more first e-mail recipients to be returned to a primary location corresponding to an e-mail address from which the e-mail is being transmitted; associating a second reply status to the e-mail transmitted to second e-mail recipients that are not among the one or more first e-mail recipients, wherein the second e-mail recipients are not granted reply status, said second reply status causing a reply to the e-mail from the second e-mail recipients to be dynamically routed to a secondary location that is different from the primary location, wherein the secondary location is an automated, unnamed e-mail account; receiving a reply e-mail to the e-mail; checking the “sent from” address within the reply e-mail to determine whether the reply e-mail originated from one of the primary or secondary e-mail recipients; and when the sent from address is one of the primary e-mail recipients, forwarding the reply e-mail to an inbox of the mail user agent (MUA); and when the sent from address is one of the secondary e-mail recipients, forwarding the reply e-mail to the secondary location; wherein reply privilege to the inbox of the MUA is denied to reply e-mail originating from the secondary e-mail recipients for whom reply privilege has not been assigned.