Just yesterday I received what looks like one of those phishing email from someone claiming to be Paypal. For that matter I know it's a fake (I didn't purchase the item). Ever since I switched over to the new Windows Live Hotmail (from their classic version) I cannot find a way to view the header source information so I can really verify that this email is a fake.
Did Microsoft get rid of that option, or is it buried some where and I'm just not looking in the right spot?
Not surprising that you ALSO received a spoofed email from a lame spammer, phishing for unsuspected victims. When will they ever learn?
I'm also not surprised that you are having trouble finding a way to view email header information of a message in Hotmail. I even had to hunt for it, and turns out it's very simple to do.
Just follow these steps:
- Log on to your Windows Live Hotmail mailbox
- In the folder list (left pane), click Inbox.
- Then right click on the message in the message list, and select View source.
You should now see the header information for that message, similar to the below screen shot:
If you are unfamiliar with header information of a message, it provides a good way to view source and destination path information, the message traveled, as well as time stamps, IP Addresses, Addresses, and body information.
Although it's easy for spammers to forge parts of the information listed in the header, it can be useful when determining if a message is fake or real.
Overall, no matter what you find in the header information, the bottom line is never trust any email messages that ask for personal information or requires verification of bank and credit card accounts, login account of any kind or seeking information about yourself.
Unless you know the sender, your best bet is to use the phone and call the company to verify is the message is valid.
Comments on How To View EMail Header Information In Windows Live Hotmail
A. Lee @ 1:06 pm
thanks for the information. What exactly was ment by "message list" took some time for me to determine. Anyway I eventually got it. Thanks again.
nikoleta @ 6:13 pm
Hi, I'm having the same problem, the difference is I own an iBook, so I can't "right click"!
I use Firefox, but on View, it only has "Page Source" (I can't select "Headers", it's not available), so when I click it and then copy/paste it to a website that finds IP address, well, it doesn't work,it's not considered "valid email header"
I don't have the same problem with gmail, it's quite easy
Any suggestions?
Thanks
@nikoleta
Try this…
Click on your Inbox. You will then see all your messages. Just right click on any one of those messages and you should see "View source"
nikoleta @ 9:57 am
Hi - again
I DON'T have right click, I have macintosh : )
veronica @ 1:07 am
thank you so much!
i've been trying to find a website that explained and showed it properly as the others didn't work or made sense
Karl @ 2:47 pm
Thanks for this great post. I have been using Hotmail for years now and didn't know that all you have to do is right click on a message to get email header information. Thanks again.
Manhattan @ 3:03 pm
Thanks for the post. This is going to help me screw around with a lot of scammers.
I wonder why Hotmail made it so difficult to find the IP. Most other e-mail providers let you view headers with an option.
gerg @ 7:49 am
I want to copy the header but I cant find it in the "view source" page.
can sb help?
AcK! @ 6:51 am
@nikoleta: this is for the Mac-Users who aren't familiar with the "Right-Click" option on a laptop. —> While holding down the "CTRL" modifier-key, Click your trackpad button.
This will be the same as a "Right-CLICK" on a mouse with more than one button. Allowing you to bring up a contextual menu where your mouse cursor is.
(*Note: 'Tapping' your trackpad may not yield the same results as pressing the trackpad button).
Just remember, to right-click on a Mac with only one mouse button:
CTRL+CLICK
Hope this helps. =)
kisean @ 3:51 am
hi i cannot get the header as well , using windows live , my browser is opera ,, when i right click on the mail , i see " source " and not "view source " ,,,
so i click on it anyways , it take me 2 a page but it's not the header i'm looking for :s ,,,HELP
sara @ 12:36 pm
HI Hi any news on being able to get the source of messages in the new live hotmail ? I go to actions - get message source & I am still having the same old problem error message Unable to download GetMessageSource.aspxfrom sn120w.sntl20.mail.live.com I am using windows 7 I have tried ie 34 bit and 64 bit – in google chrome just get a load of symbols – are they working on this problem? is there any way to revert back to the old msn hotmail? cheers Sara
Ken Sala @ 10:13 pm
They have changed this approach in the latest version of Hotmail Live. Just open the email, at the right hand side and top of the opened email is a small link "Reply" with a small arrow beside it. Clicking on this arrow brings up a multi-part menu, one item of which is "View message source". This is what you are looking for, I believe.
Larry B @ 12:17 am
I found how to open headers on individual messages, but not how to set the default for all messages. I don't need to see IP addresses and all that other stuff, but would like to see the full 'From' and 'To' information.
Pam @ 5:07 pm
I have Firefox and I do get the "view source" the only problem is that every time it gives it to me it appears with weird symbols and they have no meaning. Also when I use internet explorer it tells me that it's unable to download the source. What sould I do?
U @ 4:52 am
@Ken Sala: Thanx Ken . That was great . I have been through a lot of tiring search before I found your productive message. I believe there are thousands of others like me still searching for this option on the new live hotmail, so I'll just paste your information here once again…. and thnx once again._____
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Open the Email, at the right hand side and top of the opened email is a small link
"REPLY" with a small ARROW
beside it. Clicking on this arrow brings up a multi-part
menu, one item of which is "View message source". This is what you are looking
for, I believe.
(Original message by KEN SALA)
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