MailScanner detecting a "fraud attempt" in Marketo links

Anonymous · ‎01-19-2017

Hi all,

I've just seen one of our emails having arrived to our lead like this:

Has anyone faced the same thing before - does MailScanner block just any links or is there any specific criteria? Can I fix it on my side or is this beyond my control?

SanfordWhiteman · ‎01-19-2017

You must make sure that the inner text of a link (<a> tag) does not echo the original href of the link, because Marketo will rewrite the href and make it look like you're trying to fool the recipient.

Let me give an example. In an orignal email, this link:

<a href="http://example.com/mypage.html">http://example.com/mypage.html</a>

will be rewritten to the bounce off the tracking server:

<a href="http://go.example.com/randomcode123456">http://example.com/mypage.html</a>

and that looks malicious.

While using friendly text:

<a href="http://example.com/mypage.html">Click here</a>

won't give the same impression to the scanner, because there is no URL-like text.

View solution in original post

SanfordWhiteman · ‎01-19-2017

You must make sure that the inner text of a link (<a> tag) does not echo the original href of the link, because Marketo will rewrite the href and make it look like you're trying to fool the recipient.

Let me give an example. In an orignal email, this link:

<a href="http://example.com/mypage.html">http://example.com/mypage.html</a>

will be rewritten to the bounce off the tracking server:

<a href="http://go.example.com/randomcode123456">http://example.com/mypage.html</a>

and that looks malicious.

While using friendly text:

<a href="http://example.com/mypage.html">Click here</a>

won't give the same impression to the scanner, because there is no URL-like text.

Anonymous · ‎01-23-2017

Wow, thanks a lot Sanford!

Grégoire_Miche2 · ‎01-23-2017

Hi Elena,

Pls mark this thread as answered,

-Greg

Grégoire_Miche2 · ‎01-19-2017

Thx Sanford, learnt something here

-Greg