Does excessive punctuation trigger spam filters?

Excessive punctuation, particularly multiple exclamation marks, can contribute to spam scores. Patterns like "!!!" or "???" are classic spam characteristics that heuristic filters flag.

SpamAssassin has specific rules for punctuation abuse. Multiple exclamation marks in the subject line add points. Excessive punctuation throughout the body adds more. Combined with other issues, these points compound.

The threshold for "excessive" varies. A single exclamation mark is normal. Two might pass. Three or more in succession typically triggers points. Filters also look at punctuation density across the entire message.

Like all content signals, punctuation is evaluated in context. A trusted sender with strong authentication can get away with more than an unknown sender. But why test those limits?

Calm, confident communication does not need to shout. Let your content speak without typographic exclamations.