If your license has expired, you can't use automatic features that require a cron job., This can't be overridden by your own cron job because even that feature requires active license
Spam check shouldn't work at all. I am guessing that you have a version of AcyMailing with a bug, which allowed access to the spam feature without a valid license
The fact that you decided not to renew your license is perfectly ok. You have chosen not to pay €89 per year to support the developers that are working hard to provide the best possible service to you and other clients of AcyMailing, which is fine.
Have good day and happy long AcyMailing usage
