For the past year I've received many emails, usually 1 or 2 per day, from members saying they aren't receiving their confirmation email for my website. My PHP script uses the php function 'mail' to send emails.
I can attach the code used but before I do that I'd like to explain something.
I've tried repeatedly over the course of several months to try and reproduce the problem. If I register, I get the confirmation email and my account is created. I've tested this from my yahoo account and also my gmail account. Neither gets sent to spam folder.
The people who are emailing me saying they aren't getting their confirmation emails have said things like they've tried many many times with no success, they've tried waiting 24 hours and still no email, they've checked their bulk or spam folders, etc.
I did happen to notice several of these emails were coming from AOL users so part of the problem may be AOL and not my script. However I've also gotten these complaints from Hotmail users, Yahoo users, etc.
As I said it works just fine for me and hundreds of others registering each day. I've been ignoring it for months and months since I don't know the problem and can't duplicate the problem myself using my own email addresses. However lately I've been thinking how even if tons of people can register without problem, if I get 2 or 3 emails each day from people saying they aren't receiving their confirmation emails that may mean there are quite a few more having this problem who don't take the time to email me about this.
Anyone have any ideas at all? Are these people just nuts and not checking their bulk folders? Again with my yahoo and gmail addresses the messages come quickly and do not get put into spam folders so I don't know why some people aren't getting emails. These people are trying and trying again to register and it keeps saying to check their email and each time they get nothing.
I could post the code but the code basically is the mail function along with the from email, to email, subject, message, and header. Again I've never had any problems using my test registrations and most people don't seem to have any problems.
Also I receive several emails per week from people saying they never received their password reset emails which are generated the same way (mail function) but by vbulletin.