Tracking Unwanted EmailTracking Unwanted Email

A companion document to

Surfing the Information Highway SafelySurfing the Information Highway Safely

Peter Bilodeau, Educational Consultant (RECIT)

Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board

THERE IS NO ANONIMITY ON THE INTERNETTHERE IS NO ANONIMITY ON THE INTERNET

Let me say this again…

THERE IS NO ANONIMITY ON THE INTERNETTHERE IS NO ANONIMITY ON THE INTERNET

Anyone can find outAnyone can find out

Who you areWho you are

AndAnd

Where you liveWhere you live

When you point your browser to a website, many sites send a “cookie” to you and demand one in return.

A “cookie” is a short identification message.

Likewise, all email, SMS & IM messages imbed sender information in their “header” – a history of the message and the route it took.

The sender’s IP address is always a 9-11 digit number, surrounded by square brackets, usually after the word “Received:”.

The IP address is that of the Internet provider – Sympatico, MSN, Citenet, Videotron

To find the name and address of the send’s Internet Provider,

Point your browser to

http://www.arin.net/index.shtml

Type URL in the Search box.

Double click on the first URL beginning with “NET”.

The last screen brings you to the Internet Provider’s information screen.

Notice the telephone number and email address dedicated to abuse.

Call or write them and they will take action.

Another large WHOIS database can be accessed at

http://tools.whois.net/whoisbyip/

Further WHOIS databases can be examined

By pointing your browser to

http://www.dmoz.org/Computers/Internet/Domain_Names/Name_Search//

Locating a Header in an Email MessageLocating a Header in an Email Message

The location of the email header depends on the email client (software) used.

G-Mail

Log in to Gmail. Open the message you'd like to view headers for. Click the down arrow next to Reply, at the top-right of the message pane.

Select Show original.

Hotmail

Log in to your Hotmail account. Click Options next to the tabs. Select Mail from the left-side menu. Click Mail Display Settings. Under Message Headers, select Advanced. Click OK. The full headers for all of your messages will now be available. Return to your inbox, and

open the message you'd like to view headers for.

Yahoo

Log in to your Yahoo! Mail account. Open the message you'd like to view headers for. Click Full Headers at the top of your message.

Locating a Header in an Email MessageLocating a Header in an Email Message

Outlook

Open Outlook. Open a message. On the Message tab, in the Options group, click the Dialog Box Launcher icon image. In the Message Options dialog box, the headers appear in the Internet headers box.

Outlook Express

Open Outlook Express. From your inbox, locate the message you'd like to view headers for. Right-click the message, and select Properties.

Open the Details tab in the dialogue box.

E-Mail Tracking Software & WebsitesSoftware & websites listed below are referenced only, not recommended

Check IMhttp://www.checkim.com/

Email Tracker Prohttp://www.emailtrackerpro.com/