SpamCop / Cisco Systems (Cisco Talos). SpamCop became part of IronPort, which Cisco acquired in 2007. · IP addresses only. The SCBL does not list domains — it is a pure IP-based DNSBL of sending mail server IPs.
SpamCop Blocking List (SCBL)
The SCBL (queried at bl.spamcop.net) is an automated, IP-based DNS blocklist that lists IP addresses that have recently transmitted email reported as spam by SpamCop users and spamtraps. It is deliberately aggressive and fast-moving: SpamCop itself warns it "may block or filter wanted email" and recommends using it as one signal in a scoring system alongside allowlisting, not as a sole hard block. Listings are short-lived and managed entirely automatically — there is no human-curated permanent list.
Why you get listed
- The IP accumulated spam reports from SpamCop users (members forwarding unwanted mail) above a threshold relative to its mail volume/reputation points — at least two reports are required; a single report never lists
- The IP hit one or more SpamCop spamtraps (seeded addresses that should never receive mail), which are weighted very heavily
- A compromised/infected machine, open relay, or open proxy on that IP is emitting spam
- A shared or NATed outbound IP where one bad sender (e.g. a hijacked account on a shared host) generates reports that list the whole IP
- Sudden volume spikes or mailing to stale/purchased lists that trigger complaints; recent reports are weighted ~4:1 over older ones
Impact
Widely consumed but rarely used as a sole hard-reject by major mailbox providers; many receivers (and Cisco/IronPort appliances via SenderBase reputation) use it as one weighted input. Because listings auto-expire in ~24 hours, the deliverability hit is usually transient — but for the duration, mail to receivers that do reject on bl.spamcop.net will bounce or be filtered. A repeatedly-relisting IP signals an ongoing spam source and causes recurring, real delivery damage.
How to delist from SpamCop Blocking List (SCBL)
- Understand there is NO manual removal form — SpamCop automatically delists once spam reports stop. Fixing the source is the only durable action.
- Find the root cause: review the SCBL listing detail (the lookup page shows sample reported messages / spamtrap hits and report counts) to see what mail triggered it.
- Remediate the source: close any open relay/proxy, clean compromised accounts or malware, stop mailing stale/purchased lists, fix authentication, and remove bad recipients.
- Stop the spam flow and wait. With no new reports, the IP delists automatically after ~24 hours (and as little as ~12 hours if it was listed on the minimum of two reports).
- If you believe the listing is an error or you administer the IP and don't know why it is listed, contact the SpamCop deputies (deputies@admin.spamcop.net) from a role address such as postmaster@ or abuse@, describing your relationship to the IP — they will explain the listing but will not 'manually delist' a correctly-reporting IP.
- Separately clear other lists: a SpamCop listing often coincides with a Spamhaus CBL/XBL listing, which has its own self-service removal — fix and delist there too.
Good to know
- Self-healing list: there is no delisting button. Listings auto-expire ~24h after the last report (~12h if listed on the minimum two reports), and every new report resets the clock — so chasing 'removal' before fixing the cause is pointless.
- Spamtrap hits are heavily weighted and recent reports count ~4x older ones; one bad campaign can list you fast even with otherwise clean history.
- It is IP-only — do not expect to look up or delist a domain here.
- Don't confuse SpamCop's automatic behavior with Spamhaus: Spamhaus SBL is manually curated and removed by Spamhaus staff, the CBL/XBL is self-service removal, and the PBL is a policy list (dynamic/residential ranges) delisted by the ISP or via self-service, not by stopping spam reports.
- A shared outbound IP can be listed because of another tenant's mail — if you don't control the IP, escalate to your host/ESP rather than emailing the deputies. The correct deputies address is deputies@admin.spamcop.net (not deputies@spamcop.net).
Stay off the lists in the first place.
Most listings trace back to volume spikes, bad lists, and cold domains. Scheduler Zero warms your domains, paces sending, and keeps your lists clean so you build reputation instead of blacklisting yourself.