Emails are being sent multiple times

[PhillyFilly]

Hi,

I have two different clients on the same host, but with separate domains, and both started having trouble with their outgoing email during the week of April 8-12.

They will send an email - either internally or externally - and it will be sent 2 - 8 times within minutes. This is not happening all the time, nor does it happen every time they email the same recipient; it just seems to be random.

All five people effected are using Outlook as their email client. But all 5 are in different cities, using different versions of Windows, Outlook, anti-virus software, etc. The only thing they have in common is the host and cPanel.

Email has been working well for more than a year for all of them until this problem cropped up.

Does anyone have any ideas? I'm about ready to tear out my hair.

I've contacted the hosting company and they tried to tell me at first that it was an anti-virus problem, but when I said that between them they're using 3 different anti-virus programs. Then the host tried to tell me that Outlook would need to be reinstalled, which again, I can't imagine 5 unconnected computers would all have Outlook crap out on them the same day. So, basically, they've been no help at all.

I've checked everything I can think of, including whether they were reaching their box limit and I can't find anything that would cause this.

TIA for ANY help you can provide!!

 

[ThinIce]

I've contacted the hosting company and they tried to tell me at first that it was an anti-virus problem, but when I said that between them they're using 3 different anti-virus programs. Then the host tried to tell me that Outlook would need to be reinstalled, which again, I can't imagine 5 unconnected computers would all have Outlook crap out on them the same day. So, basically, they've been no help at all.

Generally this sort of thing does end up being an issue on the client side. If the hosting company are sure of this, what they should be able to do is provide the lines from the exim mail log that show the messages being submitted to the server from client computers multiple times as proof. This doesn't help you directly perhaps, but would at least demonstrate that it is the client side submitting the message to the server for delivery multiple times.

 

[PhillyFilly]

Thanks for the response!

But with 5 unconnected computers from 2 different domains having the same issue starting at the same time (after years of working ok), wouldn't this suggest that somewhere, someone changed a setting (either the host or cPanel) that created the problem? And how do I explain to my client (the one who has at least 4 computers affected by this) that yeah, all 4 of your computers just magically started having the same problem at the same time?

 

[Infopro]

The logs may hold your answers. It's a shame your Hosting Provider doesn't understand that and know where to look, for you.

On your end, I suppose you could check for forwarders, you might setup a new email account on one of the users cPanel accounts and send an email or two yourself to check/verify the situation too I guess. Have you tried finding any details using the Email Trace tool in one of those users cPanel accounts? Have you looked at any of the actual emails that are being sent 8 times? Are they addressed to multiple users or no?

...wouldn't this suggest that somewhere, someone changed a setting (either the host or cPanel) that created the problem?

Yes, possibly. But, I'm not sure anyone on this forum would be as much help as your Hosting Provider in a case like this. Even if one of us had the exact answer/fix for you, as a Website owner do you have root access to check your own email server settings and logs?

All that aside, if your Hosting Provider actually stated this?

Then the host tried to tell me that Outlook would need to be reinstalled

Find a new Hosting Provider. Quick.

 

[PhillyFilly]

Appreciate the feedback!

On your end, I suppose you could check for forwarders, you might setup a new email account on one of the users cPanel accounts and send an email or two yourself to check/verify the situation too I guess. Have you tried finding any details using the Email Trace tool in one of those users cPanel accounts? Have you looked at any of the actual emails that are being sent 8 times? Are they addressed to multiple users or no?

Only one has an auto-forward on, so I don't think that's it. I actually have an email address with both of these companies, and after a bit of testing, it wasn't happening to me, but the problem has been sporadic. That being said, when I've received emails from them, sometimes I have received multiple copies, so I know it's happening. And sometimes they are addressed to multiple users / outside contacts, and sometimes not. There's no discernable pattern.

Yes, possibly. But, I'm not sure anyone on this forum would be as much help as your Hosting Provider in a case like this. Even if one of us had the exact answer/fix for you, as a Website owner do you have root access to check your own email server settings and logs?

Yes, I can, but it seems that the history for both of these accounts are missing; it just says (right above the static text of 'logs are kept for 30 days') "No history found."

All that aside, if your Hosting Provider actually stated this? Find a new Hosting Provider. Quick.

Yes, they actually stated that. They also told me that no supervisors were available, and they'd pass my contact information on to a supervisor who would then review the logs and would call me back ONLY IF there was something further to discuss. So I'm now researching how to get in touch with managers, as the customer service has completely sucked and this problem has been going on for weeks.

This is a very big host, who got accollades from a multitude of sources for other wordly customer service (I checked it thoroughly before I chose them). And for instructions on how to do things, they've been great. When problems have occurred, they've just been horrible. And to not have the option to elevate an issue or complaint is just ridiculous. So yes, I'm definitely looking into new hosts.

The reason I chose to post here is I was wondering if anyone else was having this issue, and perhaps knew if cPanel had updated or changed something that create this problem.

 

[Infopro]

Yes, I can, but it seems that the history for both of these accounts are missing; it just says (right above the static text of 'logs are kept for 30 days') "No history found."

Sounds like you're looking at the error log inside the cPanel account.

If you're not very comfortable working in shell, you might consider installing this handy tool:
LogView - cPanel add-on - LogView

Using that you can check many different logs right from within WHM. You might get that going, send an email or 2 and then check your logs for any clues.

If a setting changed in an update:

but the problem has been sporadic.

It wouldn't be sporadic, it would be every email on every users account, I would think.

Sorry I can't help more than that.

 

[PhillyFilly]

Good point - doh! And I'll definitely install LogView. Truly appreciate the help!