Email spoofing is the practice of creating an email that seems to come from a specific source when it was actually sent by a different one. Typically, individuals sending "junk" email or "SPAM" aim for the message to appear as if it originates from a non-existent email address, making it difficult to trace back to the sender.
Malicious Spoofing
There are numerous motives for sending emails that spoof the return address; sometimes it is merely to create confusion, but more commonly it is intended to tarnish the reputation of the individual whose email address has been compromised by sending offensive or derogatory messages using their name.
Email spoofing is also often employed in what is termed "social engineering," which seeks to deceive the recipient into disclosing passwords or sensitive information. For instance, you might receive an email seemingly from your ISP or a trusted source like the LSE's email administrator, prompting you to visit a website to enter or reset your password. Alternatively, you could get an email soliciting detailed information about a project, with the From field indicating it is from the LSE when, in fact, it originates from a rival.
Addressing a Spoofed Email
Unfortunately, there is no foolproof method to prevent receiving spoofed emails. If you encounter a message that is overtly offensive, requests highly confidential information, or simply lacks coherence, you may want to verify whether it genuinely comes from the stated sender. You can examine the Internet Headers to determine the actual origin of the email.
Remember, even if your email address has been spoofed, it does not imply that the spoofer has accessed your mailbox.
Viewing Internet Headers Information
An email gathers details from each computer it traverses before reaching its destination, and this data is recorded in the email's Internet Headers.
1. With your Outlook Inbox open, right-click on the message and select the Options command to
open the Message Options dialog box.
To effectively read Internet Headers, begin from the bottom and work your way up, as they are
added sequentially as the email moves through the system.
2. Scroll down to the end of the information in the Internet Headers box, then proceed to scroll slowly upwards to
review the information regarding the email’s source. The crucial details can be found following the “Return-path:”
and “Reply-to:” fields. If these differ, the email is not from the sender it claims to be.