TestingInstallation

Here is a brief explanation of how to test SpamAssassin to make sure it is working.

Sending yourself "spam" will not work

if you're not a spammer 
and the message was solicited
and it wasn't bulk
then it ain't spam

So don't send yourself "spam" and expect SpamAssassin to agree! (See below on how to make it agree).

During installation

If installing from source, before running "make install", run "make test".

Command line

Check your local.cf syntax by typing:

spamassassin --lint

From the command line, you can make sure spamassassin works by trying:

spamassassin -D < /usr/share/spamassassin/doc/spamassassin-3.0.3/sample-spam.txt

In mail

To test your mail setup (such as your UsedViaProcmail or IntegratedInMta), send yourself GTUBE, the Generic Test for Unsoliticed Bulk Email:

GTUBE

Don't use GTUBE from your own mail account with versions of SpamAssassin prior to 2.63, since it can pollute your AutoWhitelist. However, you don't want to be using old versions of SpamAssassin in any case.

Note you can send yourself mail with keywords like viagra in it, and see how it marks up the headers, however doing so might pollute your AutoWhiteList.

If SpamAssassin is working, the message will be marked as spam. Note that SpamAssassin only marks messages as spam and that how it does this marking may be affected by your front-end. If you're not using the "spamc" or "spamassassin" program and are using a third-party front-end (especially amavisd), then it may not be completely obvious how spam messages are handled.

If it doesn't work

See AskingAboutIntegrations.