A method and apparatus to identity SPAM emails is disclosed. The method sets a misspelling rejection ratio. Upon receipt of an email comprising (X) words, the method determines the number (Y) of misspelled words comprising that email. The method then calculates a misspelling ratio by dividing (Y) by (X), and then determines if the misspelling ratio is greater than or equal to the misspelling rejection ratio. If the method determines that the misspelling ratio is greater than or equal to the misspelling rejection ratio, then the method reports the email as SPAM. In certain embodiments, the detection of words used to trigger the rejection of SPAM is based on a fuzzy search of alternate spellings. These alternate spellings may come from a spell checker.