Unable to send an email via webmail or configure mail client: "The maximum number of sent messages is exceeded" or "Insufficient System Storage" or "The limit on the number of allowed outgoing messages was exceeded"

Symptoms

• Email sending fails:

  • In MailEnable webmail:

    CONFIG_TEXT: An Outgoing server (SMTP) error occurred while sending mail.
    The server responded:
    Requested action aborted:
    The maximum number of sent messages is exceeded.

  • In Horde webmail:

    CONFIG_TEXT: There was an error sending your message:
    Insufficient System Storage.

  • In the Roundcube webmail:

    CONFIG_TEXT: SMTP Error: [554] 5.7.0 Your message could not be sent. The limit on the number of allowed outgoing messages was exceeded. Try again later.

  • In Outlook when configuring the mail account:

    CONFIG_TEXT: Send test-email message: Your outgoing (SMTP) e-mail server has reported an internal error. If you continue to receive this message, contact your server administrator or Internet service provider (ISP). The server responded: 452 Requested action aborted: The maximum number of sent messages is exceeded.

• The following rows appear in the maillog file:

  • Mail Enable Management > Servers > SMTP > Logs > SMTP-Activity (Windows):

    CONFIG_TEXT: 68F5DE13177742E29B90524B6F9D7705.MAI 1076 127.0.0.1 MAIL MAIL FROM:<johndoe@example.com> SIZE=8001 250 Requested mail action okay, completed 43 46 johndoe@example.com
    68F5DE13177742E29B90524B6F9D7705.MAI 1076 127.0.0.1 RCPT RCPT TO:<sarahkerrigan@example.net> 250 Requested mail action okay, completed 43 34 johndoe@example.com
    68F5DE13177742E29B90524B6F9D7705.MAI 1076 127.0.0.1 DATA DATA 452 Requested action aborted: The maximum number of sent messages is exceeded. Please try later. 98 6 johndoe@example.com

  • In log file /var/log/maillog (Linux):

    CONFIG_TEXT: host /usr/lib64/plesk-9.0/psa-pc-remote[5601]: handlers_stderr: DATA REPLY:554:5.7.0 Your message could not be sent. The limit on the number of allowed outgoing messages was exceeded. Try again later.#012REJECT
    host /usr/lib64/plesk-9.0/psa-pc-remote[5601]: REJECT during call 'limit-out' handler

Cause

The mailbox or domain or subscription outgoing mail control limits have been reached due to one of the following reasons:

• The sender mailbox johndoe@example.com sends spam.

• Another mailbox belonged to the domain example.com or its subscription sends spam.

• If no spam is sent then the cause is the lack of allowed outgoing messages set up for the johndoe@example.com mailbox or domain example.com or its subscription.

Resolution

Note: This guide is intended for Plesk administrators.

If you are a domain/email account owner, please contact your service provider for assistance with email account configuration.

1. Log in to Plesk GUI

2. Go to Tools & Settings > Outgoing Mail Control.

3. Press the Refresh button in the Objects attempting to exceed limits section to update information about reached outgoing mail limits.

4. Check the mailboxes, domains and subscriptions which reached their limits regarding the source of spam:

   

   If the spammer was found, reset a password for the affected mailbox using these steps:

   Click here to expand steps

   Warning: if the mailbox was hacked then not all security measures were applied on the server.
   
   Increase the Password Strength and apply other security measures on the Plesk server.

   • Go to Domains > example.com > Email Addresses > johndoe@example.com.

   • Specify a new password for the mailbox (or click the Generate button to create a random new password).

   • Click the OK button to apply changes.

   If the affected mailboxes/domains/subscriptions are not the source of spam, then perform one of the actions below:

   • Increase the outgoing mail limits by following steps from this article:

     How to set limitations on outgoing email messages in Plesk?

     OR

   • Wait until the limit are reset (by default, 1 hour).

Additional information

• Protection from Outbound Spam

• [Troubleshooting] IP address of a Plesk mail server got blacklisted. What to do?

• How to secure a Plesk server?

• Securing Plesk