fix(messaging): stop group and bulk emails from creating contacts (#23137)

Group addresses were only checked against the message sender, so
anything arriving as reply-to or cc slipped through and became a
contact. Now checked per participant at contact creation.

The group word list can't keep up with real senders (posts-recap@,
showinfo@, follow-suggestions@), so bulk-mail headers back it up:
`List-Unsubscribe, List-Id, Precedence, Auto-Submitted` (Industry
standard headers)

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packages/twenty-server/src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/drivers/gmail/utils/parse-and-format-gmail-message.util.ts

@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ export const parseAndFormatGmailMessage = (
     attachments,
     deliveredTo,
     labelIds,
+    messageHeaders,
   } = parseGmailMessage(message);
 
   const isDraft = (labelIds ?? []).includes('DRAFT');
@@ -86,5 +87,6 @@ export const parseAndFormatGmailMessage = (
     messageFolderExternalIds: labelIds,
     labelIds,
     isDraft,
+    messageHeaders,
   };
 };

packages/twenty-server/src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/drivers/gmail/utils/parse-gmail-message.util.ts

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import assert from 'assert';
 
 import { type gmail_v1 } from 'googleapis';
+import { isDefined } from 'twenty-shared/utils';
 
 import { getAttachmentData } from 'src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/drivers/gmail/utils/get-attachment-data.util';
 import { getBodyData } from 'src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/drivers/gmail/utils/get-body-data.util';
@@ -22,6 +23,10 @@ export const parseGmailMessage = (message: gmail_v1.Schema$Message) => {
   const historyId = message.historyId;
   const internalDate = message.internalDate;
   const labelIds = message.labelIds ?? [];
+  const messageHeaders = (message.payload?.headers ?? []).flatMap(
+    ({ name, value }) =>
+      isDefined(name) && isDefined(value) ? [{ name, value }] : [],
+  );
 
   assert(id, 'ID is missing');
   assert(historyId, 'History-ID is missing');
@@ -54,5 +59,6 @@ export const parseGmailMessage = (message: gmail_v1.Schema$Message) => {
     isHtml,
     attachments,
     labelIds,
+    messageHeaders,
   };
 };

packages/twenty-server/src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/drivers/imap/services/imap-get-messages.service.ts

@@ -187,6 +187,10 @@ export class ImapGetMessagesService {
       participants: extractParticipantsFromParsedEmail(parsed),
       messageFolderExternalIds: [folderExternalId],
       isDraft: flags?.has('\\Draft') ?? false,
+      messageHeaders: parsed.headers.map(({ key, value }) => ({
+        name: key,
+        value,
+      })),
     };
   }
 }

packages/twenty-server/src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/drivers/inbound-email/services/inbound-email-parser.service.ts

@@ -36,6 +36,10 @@ export class InboundEmailParserService {
       attachments: [],
       participants: extractParticipantsFromParsedEmail(parsedEmail),
       isDraft: false,
+      messageHeaders: parsedEmail.headers.map(({ key, value }) => ({
+        name: key,
+        value,
+      })),
     };
   }
 }

packages/twenty-server/src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/drivers/microsoft/services/microsoft-fetch-by-batch.service.ts

@@ -17,6 +17,23 @@ export class MicrosoftFetchByBatchService {
     messageIdsByBatch: string[][];
     batchResponses: MicrosoftGraphBatchResponse[];
   }> {
+    const selectedFields = [
+      'id',
+      'subject',
+      'body',
+      'receivedDateTime',
+      'internetMessageId',
+      'internetMessageHeaders',
+      'conversationId',
+      'parentFolderId',
+      'isDraft',
+      'from',
+      'replyTo',
+      'toRecipients',
+      'ccRecipients',
+      'bccRecipients',
+    ].join(',');
+
     const batchLimit = 20;
     const batchResponses: MicrosoftGraphBatchResponse[] = [];
     const messageIdsByBatch: string[][] = [];
@@ -33,7 +50,7 @@ export class MicrosoftFetchByBatchService {
       const batchRequests = batchMessageIds.map((messageId, index) => ({
         id: (index + 1).toString(),
         method: 'GET',
-        url: `/me/messages/${messageId}`,
+        url: `/me/messages/${messageId}?$select=${selectedFields}`,
         headers: {
           'Content-Type': 'application/json',
           Prefer: 'outlook.body-content-type="text"',

packages/twenty-server/src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/drivers/microsoft/services/microsoft-get-messages.interface.ts

@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ export interface MicrosoftGraphBatchResponse {
       sentDateTime?: string;
       hasAttachments?: boolean;
       internetMessageId?: string;
+      internetMessageHeaders?: { name: string; value: string }[];
       subject?: string;
       bodyPreview?: string;
       importance?: string;

packages/twenty-server/src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/drivers/microsoft/services/microsoft-get-messages.service.spec.ts

@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ describe('Microsoft get messages service', () => {
       messageFolderExternalIds: responseExample1.body.parentFolderId
         ? [responseExample1.body.parentFolderId]
         : [],
+      messageHeaders: [],
     });
 
     const responseExample2 =
@@ -151,6 +152,7 @@ describe('Microsoft get messages service', () => {
       messageFolderExternalIds: responseExample2.body.parentFolderId
         ? [responseExample2.body.parentFolderId]
         : [],
+      messageHeaders: [],
     });
   });
 
@@ -195,6 +197,7 @@ describe('Microsoft get messages service', () => {
       messageFolderExternalIds: responseExample.body.parentFolderId
         ? [responseExample.body.parentFolderId]
         : [],
+      messageHeaders: [],
     });
   });
 });

packages/twenty-server/src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/drivers/microsoft/services/microsoft-get-messages.service.ts

@@ -164,6 +164,7 @@ export class MicrosoftGetMessagesService {
           ? [response.parentFolderId]
           : [],
         isDraft: response.isDraft ?? false,
+        messageHeaders: response.internetMessageHeaders ?? [],
       };
     });
 

packages/twenty-server/src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/services/messaging-save-messages-and-enqueue-contact-creation.service.spec.ts

@@ -305,6 +305,54 @@ describe('MessagingSaveMessagesAndEnqueueContactCreationService', () => {
       },
     );
   });
+  it('should not create contacts for non-sender group email participants when excludeGroupEmails is enabled', async () => {
+    await service.saveMessagesAndEnqueueContactCreation(
+      [
+        {
+          ...mockMessages[1],
+          participants: [
+            {
+              role: MessageParticipantRole.FROM,
+              handle: 'tim@apple.com',
+              displayName: 'Tim',
+            },
+            {
+              role: MessageParticipantRole.REPLY_TO,
+              handle: 'no-reply@mail.instagram.com',
+              displayName: 'Instagram',
+            },
+            {
+              role: MessageParticipantRole.CC,
+              handle: 'support@company.com',
+              displayName: 'Support',
+            },
+          ],
+        },
+      ],
+      mockMessageChannel,
+      mockConnectedAccount,
+      workspaceId,
+    );
+
+    expect(messageQueueService.add).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      CreateCompanyAndContactJob.name,
+      {
+        workspaceId,
+        connectedAccount: mockConnectedAccount,
+        source: FieldActorSource.EMAIL,
+        contactsToCreate: [
+          {
+            handle: 'tim@apple.com',
+            displayName: 'Tim',
+            role: MessageParticipantRole.FROM,
+            shouldCreateContact: true,
+            messageId: 'db-message-id-2',
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+    );
+  });
+
   it('should not create contact if the participant is the connected account', async () => {
     const mockMessagesWithConnectedAccount = [
       {

packages/twenty-server/src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/services/messaging-save-messages-and-enqueue-contact-creation.service.ts

@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ import {
 } from 'src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/services/messaging-message-folder-association.service';
 import { MessagingMessageService } from 'src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/services/messaging-message.service';
 import { type MessageWithParticipants } from 'src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/types/message';
+import { isGroupEmail } from 'src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/utils/is-group-email';
 import { MessagingMessageParticipantService } from 'src/modules/messaging/message-participant-manager/services/messaging-message-participant.service';
 import { isWorkEmail } from 'src/utils/is-work-email';
 
@@ -103,6 +104,10 @@ export class MessagingSaveMessagesAndEnqueueContactCreationService {
                         messageChannel.excludeNonProfessionalEmails &&
                         !isWorkEmail(participant.handle);
 
+                      const isExcludedByGroupEmails =
+                        messageChannel.excludeGroupEmails &&
+                        isGroupEmail(participant.handle);
+
                       // Drafts are outgoing, so don't turn recipients of an
                       // unsent email into CRM contacts.
                       const shouldCreateContact =
@@ -110,6 +115,7 @@ export class MessagingSaveMessagesAndEnqueueContactCreationService {
                         !!participant.handle &&
                         !isParticipantConnectedAccount &&
                         !isExcludedByNonProfessionalEmails &&
+                        !isExcludedByGroupEmails &&
                         (messageChannel.contactAutoCreationPolicy ===
                           MessageChannelContactAutoCreationPolicy.SENT_AND_RECEIVED ||
                           (messageChannel.contactAutoCreationPolicy ===

packages/twenty-server/src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/types/message.ts

@@ -26,6 +26,12 @@ export type Message = Omit<
   messageFolderIds?: string[];
   messageFolderExternalIds?: string[];
   labelIds?: string[];
+  messageHeaders?: MessageHeader[];
+};
+
+export type MessageHeader = {
+  name: string;
+  value: string;
 };
 
 export type MessageAttachment = {

packages/twenty-server/src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/utils/__tests__/filter-emails.util.spec.ts

@@ -139,6 +139,38 @@ describe('filterEmails', () => {
     expect(result[0].externalId).toBe('regular-message');
   });
 
+  it('should filter out bulk mail whose sender does not look like a group address', () => {
+    const primaryHandle = 'user@example.com';
+    const messages: MessageWithParticipants[] = [
+      {
+        externalId: 'newsletter-message',
+        subject: 'Your weekly recap',
+        receivedAt: new Date('2025-01-09T09:54:37.000Z'),
+        text: 'Recap',
+        headerMessageId: '<posts-recap@mail.instagram.com>',
+        messageThreadExternalId: 'thread-1',
+        direction: MessageDirection.INCOMING,
+        participants: [
+          {
+            role: MessageParticipantRole.FROM,
+            handle: 'posts-recap@mail.instagram.com',
+            displayName: 'Instagram',
+          },
+        ],
+        attachments: [],
+        isDraft: false,
+        messageHeaders: [
+          { name: 'List-Unsubscribe', value: '<https://instagram.com/unsub>' },
+        ],
+      },
+    ];
+
+    expect(filterEmails(primaryHandle, [], messages, [])).toEqual([]);
+    expect(filterEmails(primaryHandle, [], messages, [], false)).toEqual(
+      messages,
+    );
+  });
+
   it('should not filter out group emails when excludeGroupEmails is false', () => {
     const primaryHandle = 'user@example.com';
     const messages: MessageWithParticipants[] = [

packages/twenty-server/src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/utils/__tests__/is-bulk-mail.util.spec.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import { isBulkMail } from 'src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/utils/is-bulk-mail.util';
+
+describe('isBulkMail', () => {
+  it('should detect a List-Unsubscribe header regardless of casing', () => {
+    expect(
+      isBulkMail([
+        { name: 'List-Unsubscribe', value: '<https://example.com/unsub>' },
+      ]),
+    ).toBe(true);
+
+    expect(
+      isBulkMail([
+        { name: 'list-unsubscribe', value: '<mailto:unsub@example.com>' },
+      ]),
+    ).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('should detect a List-Id header', () => {
+    expect(
+      isBulkMail([{ name: 'List-Id', value: '<newsletter.example.com>' }]),
+    ).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it('should detect bulk precedence values only', () => {
+    expect(isBulkMail([{ name: 'Precedence', value: 'bulk' }])).toBe(true);
+    expect(isBulkMail([{ name: 'Precedence', value: ' List ' }])).toBe(true);
+    expect(isBulkMail([{ name: 'Precedence', value: 'urgent' }])).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('should treat Auto-Submitted as bulk unless it is "no"', () => {
+    expect(
+      isBulkMail([{ name: 'Auto-Submitted', value: 'auto-generated' }]),
+    ).toBe(true);
+    expect(isBulkMail([{ name: 'Auto-Submitted', value: 'no' }])).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('should not flag a regular message', () => {
+    expect(
+      isBulkMail([
+        { name: 'From', value: 'tim@apple.com' },
+        { name: 'Subject', value: 'Lunch' },
+        { name: 'List-Unsubscribe', value: '' },
+      ]),
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it('should not flag a message without headers', () => {
+    expect(isBulkMail([])).toBe(false);
+  });
+});

packages/twenty-server/src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/utils/filter-emails.util.ts

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { type MessageWithParticipants } from 'src/modules/messaging/message-impo
 import { filterOutBlocklistedMessages } from 'src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/utils/filter-out-blocklisted-messages.util';
 import { filterOutIcsAttachments } from 'src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/utils/filter-out-ics-attachments.util';
 import { filterOutInternals } from 'src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/utils/filter-out-internals.util';
+import { isBulkMail } from 'src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/utils/is-bulk-mail.util';
 import { isGroupEmail } from 'src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/utils/is-group-email';
 import { isMessageSenderMatchingHandles } from 'src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/utils/is-message-sender-matching-handles.util';
 import { isWorkEmail } from 'src/utils/is-work-email';
@@ -45,6 +46,10 @@ export const filterEmails = (
       return true;
     }
 
+    if (isBulkMail(message.messageHeaders ?? [])) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
     const senderHandle = message.participants?.find(
       (participant) => participant.role === MessageParticipantRole.FROM,
     )?.handle;

packages/twenty-server/src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/utils/is-bulk-mail.util.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import { isNonEmptyString } from '@sniptt/guards';
+
+import { type MessageHeader } from 'src/modules/messaging/message-import-manager/types/message';
+
+const BULK_LIST_HEADER_NAMES = ['list-unsubscribe', 'list-id'];
+const BULK_PRECEDENCE_VALUES = ['bulk', 'list', 'junk'];
+
+export const isBulkMail = (headers: MessageHeader[]): boolean =>
+  headers.some(({ name, value }) => {
+    const headerName = name.toLowerCase();
+    const headerValue = value.trim().toLowerCase();
+
+    if (BULK_LIST_HEADER_NAMES.includes(headerName)) {
+      return isNonEmptyString(headerValue);
+    }
+
+    if (headerName === 'precedence') {
+      return BULK_PRECEDENCE_VALUES.includes(headerValue);
+    }
+
+    if (headerName === 'auto-submitted') {
+      return isNonEmptyString(headerValue) && headerValue !== 'no';
+    }
+
+    return false;
+  });