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How to interpret Email headers.

Full headers can provide information about who sent a message, from what service provider, and the path the message took to get to you. It is important to include the full headers with any e-mail message forwarded to the StopIT address (abuse@gmu.edu).

Click default display or full headers for examples of each.

Example of default display of headers

Subject: Topic of Message is inserted here
Date: Wed, 02 Jul 2003 14:06:06 -0400
From: Someuser@domain.name
Reply-To: recipient@domain.name <recipient@domain.name>
To: recipient@domain.name

Example of Full Headers

(note section in red is likely where message originated):

Return-path: <service@paypal.com>
Received: from mail01.gmu.edu (mail01 [129.174.0.111])
by mserver2.gmu.edu (iPlanet Messaging Server 5.2 Patch 1 (built Aug 19 2002))
with ESMTP id <0HGJ0029SSKOPB@mserver2.gmu.edu> for username@ims-ms-daemon
(ORCPT username@mail.gmu.edu); Sun, 15 Jun 2003 20:12:24 -0400 (EDT)
Received: from portal.gmu.edu (portalmemo.gmu.edu [129.174.0.118])
by mail01.gmu.edu (iPlanet Messaging Server 5.2 Patch 1 (built Aug 19 2002))
with ESMTP id <0HGJ00279SKNWP@mail01.gmu.edu> for username@mail.gmu.edu
(ORCPT username@mail.gmu.edu); Sun, 15 Jun 2003 20:12:23 -0400 (EDT)
Received: from mx-c.gmu.edu (mx-c.gmu.edu [129.174.0.121])
by portal.gmu.edu (8.8.8/8.8.8) with SMTP id UAA06931 for <username@gmu.edu>;
Sun, 15 Jun 2003 20:12:23 -0400 (EDT)
Received: from ool-44c283ec.dyn.optonline.net(68.194.131.236)
by mx-c.gmu.edu via csmap id 4939; Sun, 15 Jun 2003 20:09:53 -0400 (EDT)
Date: Sun, 15 Jun 2003 23:18:54 +0000
From: Service <service@paypal.com>
Subject: Paypal Security Measures
In-reply-to: <HI5C7EACB3EDLG22@gmu.edu>
To: Username <username@gmu.edu>
Message-id: <2501IJ266AGJKAHE@paypal.com>
MIME-version: 1.0
Content-type: text/html; charset=Windows-1251
Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT
References: <HI5C7EACB3EDLG22@gmu.edu>

Contact: Curtis McNay, Director IT Security | Updated August 28, 2007