Retrieving E-mail Headers

Q: How do I retrieve the header information from an e-mail?

When submitting spam violations to Community Architect, please include all header information from the e-mail. "From" e-mail addresses are easily forged, but e-mail header information is very difficult to change, and thus allows us to identify the true e-mail author.

Different e-mail programs store the e-mail header information differently. Please follow the instructions for the e-mail program you were using when you received the "spam" e-mail message.

Microsoft Outlook

  1. In Microsoft Outlook, click on the folder that contains the "spam" e-mail message (this is usually the "Inbox" folder).
  2. Right-click the "spam" e-mail message and select "Options." This will open a window that contains the header (The header is the text in a box at the bottom of the window).
  3. Highlight the information in the header with your mouse, then right-click on the highlighted text and select "copy."
  4. Return to the Abuse Form and paste the header information into the form by right-clicking the proper place on the form and selecting "paste."

Netscape Mail

  1. In Netscape Mail, double click the "spam" e-mail message.
  2. Click "View" on the menu at the top of the window and highlight "headers."
  3. Click "All" on the menu that will appear to the right of your mouse. This will insert the header in the same window as the "spam" message above the body of the message.
  4. Highlight the header information with your mouse, then right-click on the highlighted text and select "copy."
  5. Return to the Abuse Form and paste the header information into the form by right-clicking the proper place on the form and selecting "paste."