Patent ID: RE40804

Claim:
A method for preventing the delivery of unwanted electronic mail messages to a destination client, said method comprising the steps of: receiving an original electronic mail message from a source client at a destination server , said original electronic mail message including an email address for said source client; comparing said electronic mail address of said source client to at least one of an accept list or a reject list of electronic mail addresses; holding said original electronic mail message in a first memory that is distinct from a second memory where deleted messages are stored if said electronic mail address of said source client is not on at least one of said accept list or said reject list ; sending a reply electronic mail message from said destination server to said source client requesting that said source client complete a registration process , if said electronic mail address of said source client is not on at least one of said accept list or said reject list, wherein said registration process comprises completing a form at an Internet address, and wherein said form includes a query that is designed to be answered by a human rather than a machine ; monitoring the a response of said source client to said request to complete a registration process to determine whether said source client properly responds to said request; and sending said original electronic mail message from said destination server to said destination client only if said source client properly responds to said request to complete a registration process.