To investigate reports of email phishing or malware/virus distribution, we must obtain the entire message - body, full headers, and any attachments. Forwarding the message typically only includes part of the headers.

An email header is a block of information about the message that includes the sender, the recipient, the date, sending and receiving time stamps, and the servers that handle the message transfer. These headers are usually hidden from view.

In Outlook for Windows

  1. In Outlook, open the offending message by double-clicking on it. This will open the message in a new window.
  2. Select Info under the File menu in the new window, then look at Properties.
  3. Copy and paste the contents of the Internet Headers field into your message to [email protected]

In Outlook 2016 for Mac

  1. Select the message in Outlook (Do not double-click to open the message).
  2. Hold the Control key and click on the message. A new menu should appear.
  3. Select View Source (at the bottom of the menu). This will open a new window.
  4. Copy and paste the contents of the Internet Headers field into your message to [email protected]

Forward Message as Attachment in Outlook

  1. Select the email you want to forward, then go to the Home tab.
  2. In the Respond group, select More Respond Actions. In Outlook 2010, select More.
  3. Select Forward as an Attachment
  4. In the To text box, enter [email protected]. In the subject, write "Potential Phish."

In OWA

  1. Open the offending message.
  2. Under Actions on the far right, select "View Original Message."
  3. In the new window, select "Message Details" (the button looks like a letter and envelope)
  4. Copy and paste the content of the text box under "Internet Mail Headers" into your message to [email protected]

In Gmail

  1. Open the offending message.
  2. On the right-hand side of the message body, use the pull-down tab (3-dot ellipsis) and select "Show original."
  3. Copy and paste the displayed information into your message to [email protected]

Forward Message as an Attachment to Gmail

  1. Select the email that you want to report.
  2. Click the vertical ellipsis More and select Forward as an attachment.
  3. In the To field, add [email protected] with a subject message of "Potential Phish"

In Apple OS X Mail

  1. In Mail, open the offending message in a new window by double-clicking on the message.
  2. Select View --> Message --> Raw Source.
  3. Copy the headers by right-clicking, selecting all, then choosing copy.
  4. Paste the displayed information into your message to [email protected]

In Thunderbird

  1. In Thunderbird, open the offending message.
  2. Select View --> Headers --> All
  3. Copy and paste the headers into your message to [email protected]