FreeEmailAnalyzer

Email Routing and Delivery Path

The Received header chain

These headers form a "paper trail" showing an email's journey to your inbox:

🔍 What each Received header contains:

  • Server hostname: Which computer handled the message
  • Timestamp: When it was processed
  • IP address: Where it came from
  • Authentication: Verification results (if any)

🧭 How to read the chain:

Headers are added to the top, so read from bottom up:

  1. Bottom header: First server that sent the email
  2. Middle headers: Mail relays that passed it along
  3. Top header: Your email provider's server

⚠️ Warning signs to watch for:

  • Suspicious locations: Hops through unexpected countries
  • Time jumps: Unrealistically fast delivery times
  • Missing authentication: No SPF/DKIM verification
  • Hidden hops: Headers that try to obscure the path

💡 Example Chain:

Received: from mail.provider.com (verified)
Received: from relay.example.net (10.1.1.1)
Received: from sender.com (unverified)

This shows the email came from sender.com → relay.example.net → your provider

🔒 Security Tip: Legitimate emails typically have 2-5 Received headers. Extremely long chains may indicate spam.

Understanding server hops

Server hops show each computer that handled an email on its way to you:

🔄 What's a normal hop pattern?

  • Personal emails: 2-4 hops (sender → provider → your inbox)
  • Business emails: 3-5 hops (may include security scanners)
  • Forwarded emails: Additional 1-2 hops

🚩 Suspicious hop patterns:

  • Too many hops (>5) - Could indicate spammers hiding their path
  • Geographic oddities - Hops through unexpected countries
  • Missing hops - Gaps in the chain may mean headers were faked
  • Unverified servers - Hops without proper DNS records

🔍 How to analyze hops:

  1. Count the number of Received headers
  2. Check locations using IP geolocation
  3. Verify each server's domain exists
  4. Look for consistent timestamps (each hop should take seconds)

💡 Example: Sender → Company Mail Server → Google → Your Inbox = Normal
Sender → Russia → China → Your Inbox = Suspicious

🔒 Security Tip: Legitimate organizations use predictable routes. Random hops through foreign countries often indicate spam.

Detecting forged or suspicious hops

Here's how to spot potentially dangerous email routing:

🚩 Red Flags in Email Paths:

  • Private IPs (10.x, 192.168.x) - Should never appear in legitimate emails
  • Time anomalies - Hops that appear to travel backwards in time
  • Location jumps - Example: "USA → Russia → Nigeria" in minutes
  • Missing hops - Gaps where headers were likely removed

🕵️ Common Scammer Techniques:

  1. Header stripping - Removing incriminating hops
  2. IP spoofing - Faking server addresses
  3. Fast-flux - Rapidly changing server locations
  4. Bulletproof hosting - Using abuse-tolerant providers

🔍 How to Investigate:

  1. Check if timestamps progress logically
  2. Verify each server's location matches the claimed sender
  3. Look for sudden geographic jumps
  4. Search unknown IPs in abuse databases

💡 Real Example: "From: Bank <spoofed@bank.com>" Received: from [192.168.1.1] (Nigeria) This mismatch suggests fraud

🔒 Protect Yourself: Never trust emails with suspicious routing - even if the content looks legitimate.

IP address tracking and geolocation

IP addresses in email headers reveal where messages really came from:

🌍 How IP geolocation works:

  • Every internet device has a unique IP address
  • These can be mapped to approximate locations (city/country)
  • Accuracy varies (better for cities than rural areas)

🔍 Using geolocation for email analysis:

  1. Verify sender locations - Does the path match the claimed origin?
  2. Spot suspicious routes - Unlikely country jumps may indicate fraud
  3. Check hosting providers - Some locations are known for spam

🛠️ Free tools to check IPs:

⚠️ Important limitations:

  • VPNs and proxies can hide real locations
  • Some IPs may show the provider's HQ rather than actual server
  • Mobile IPs are less accurate than fixed-line

💡 Example: An email "from your bank" with IPs tracing to Russia → This suggests phishing

🔒 Security Tip: Combine geolocation with other header analysis for best results.