How to Verify the REAL Sender of an Email Message
In order to reaffirm the authenticity of an email message, it is
sometimes necessary to check the full header, which is typically not
displayed when you are reading your email. What you are looking for is the
chronologically first 'Received: from' entry in the header. Check to see
that it is consistent or has some logical connection to the 'From:'
address. The 'From:' address is very easy to forge, but not the 'Received:
from' fields. Try this on a piece of spam email to see what you get.
Here are instructions for viewing the full header of an email message
using the email programs most common in the Center for Aging.
Lotus Notes
1. Right click on the return address.
2. Select 'Document Properties'.
3. Select the 'Fields' icon (second from the left).
4. In the left panel, scroll down to the bottom Received item and compare
what you see in the right panel to the return address.
Pine
1. When reading an email message, press the letter 'h' to expand the
header.
2. Press 'h' again to reduce the header.
Outlook 2002
1. Right click on a message.
2. Select 'Options...'
3. If you have already double clicked on a message, drop down the 'View'
menu and select 'Options...'
4. The full header will be in the 'Internet headers:' field.
5. Click 'Close' to go back to reading your email.
Outlook Express 6
1. Right click on a message.
2. Select 'Properties'.
3. If you have already double clicked on a message, drop down the 'File'
menu and select 'Properties'.
3. Click on the 'Details' tab.
4. You can click 'Message Source....' and supersize the resulting window
be able to read the header better.
Eudora 6
1. Double click on a message in your Inbox.
2. In the tool bar just above the 'From:' field you will find an icon
that says "Blah Blah Blah" right beside a small yellow pencil. Click
on "Blah Blah Blah" to see the full header of the message.
3. Click on "Blah Blah Blah" to reduce the header.
Thunderbird 0.9
1. Double click on the message you want to read.
2. Click on the plus sign (+) to the left of the word 'Subject:' in
the tool bar just above the message. This will expand the header so
you can see all of the information in it.
3. Click the minus sign (-) to reduce the header.
