Systems and methods are described for rate-limiting a message-sending client interacting with a message service based on dynamically calculated risk assessments of the probability that the client is, or is not, a sender of a spam messages. The message service sends a proof of work problem to a sending client device with a difficulty level that is related to a risk assessment that the client is a sender of spam messages. The message system limits the rate at which a known or suspected spammer can send messages by giving the known or suspected spammer client harder proof of work problems to solve, while minimizing the burden on normal users of the message system by given them easier proof of work problems to solve that can typically be solved by the client within the time that it takes to type a message.