How to Trace an Email in Microsoft Outlook

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Most emails we receive are either from known senders or spam, but sometimes we receive malicious emails that involve phishing or scams. When this occurs, knowing how to trace the origination of the email could save you from potential theft. Learn how to trace an email in Microsoft Outlook.

Open Microsoft Outlook and find a suspicious email that you would like to trace.

Highlight the email, right-click on the email, and select "Options."

At the bottom of the options box you will find a section marked "Internet Headers." Scroll to the bottom of the section and then slowly scroll upwards until you find something that says "Received: from (sender's IP address)." The IP address will be a series of numbers and dots, such as 68.172.145.12.

Highlight the IP address from this section and then select "Copy." Or you can write down the address.

Locate a "Whois" database online with a quick search on your favorite search engine.

Enter the IP address from the email into the box and click the "Search WHOIS" button. The website will run a search on the IP address that you have given them and give you the results of where the IP address originated from, who hosts the address and other registration information.