VALID EMAIL RECEIPT DATE?

[Guest]

One of the branch managers' email was received "today" (Sept. 10) and when I
replied the same I overlooked the date at which it was sent (i.e. Sept. 04).

The branch manager goes on crying and howling that he had sent the email 6
days ago!

Is it possible that:
1. The mail could have been received so much delayed when another mail of
the same size from the same address was received earlier?
2. Could there be any way he had played something with the date?
3. How can I obtain the true date of email and a proof that the email was
received today?

 

[Roady [MVP]]

1) Yes, it could have been stuck in a queue at one of the mail servers in
between.
2) Yes, if he had send it 6 days ago with the option "Do not deliver before
<date>" set
3) There is a "Received" column you can add which displays the date. If this
message was send via the Internet the message will also contain header
information which can reveal some nice information on where it might got
stuck and when.

Note that any of this won't be rock solid evidence but it could give you a
more detailed view on what was going on.