SPF record has the wrong version prefix
CODE REDWhat it means
The record at example.com looks like SPF but does not start with exactly v=spf1, so every receiver ignores it. You have the maintenance burden of SPF with none of the protection.
How to fix it
Make the record start with v=spf1 followed by a space, e.g. v=spf1 include:_spf.yourprovider.com ~all
Check your own domain
This page describes the condition. To find out whether your domain has it, run the SPF test or the full checkup, which examines every record at once.
Understand it properly
This page covers one condition. For the whole picture, What is SPF, and the ten-lookup limit, or start at the Health Library.
Where this comes from
We judge this against RFC 7208 section 4.5. Every finding on this site cites the specification behind it so you can check the work rather than take our word for it.
Other SPF conditions
SPF_INVALID_VERSION
Every fix on this site is yours to implement. If you would rather someone did it, I take this work directly.