How do I verify a forwarded email?

Ask the mailbox owner to export the original email as a .eml file, then upload it to selfcheck.email. The DKIM signature on the original indicates whether the content is unchanged.

What does DKIM verification establish?

A valid DKIM signature establishes that the email content has not been altered since the sender's mail server signed it. It does not establish that the content is true or that a specific person wrote it.

Yes. You can verify up to 5 emails per hour without an account. Free accounts get 5 cases per month with timestamped PDF reports.

Does SelfCheck store my email?

No. The email file is processed in memory and deleted immediately. Only cryptographic hashes and the PDF report are retained.

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Using email as evidence in UK courts

7 min

Email as documentary evidence

Under the Civil Evidence Act 1995, hearsay evidence — including email — is admissible in civil proceedings. However, the court must be satisfied that the document is what it purports to be (CPR 32.19). This means someone must authenticate the email.

In practice, this usually means a witness statement saying: "I received this email on this date from this address, and this is a true copy." But if the opposing party challenges the email's authenticity, you need more than a witness statement.

The problem with printed or forwarded emails

A printed email or a forwarded copy is just text. The sender's name, the date, even the content can be edited before printing or forwarding. Courts have noted this in several reported decisions.

What courts look for is some form of independent verification — something that goes beyond the assertions of the party relying on the email.

How DKIM verification helps

A DKIM verification report from SelfCheck can serve as supporting evidence that:

·The email's content has not been modified since it was signed by the sending mail server

·The signing domain matches the purported sender's domain

·The verification was performed at a specific time (RFC 3161 trusted timestamp)

This does not replace a witness statement, but it provides independent, technical corroboration that the email is genuine and unaltered.

What to include in your bundle

1.The original .eml file (preserved by the mailbox owner)

2.The SelfCheck verification report (PDF with SHA-256 hash and trusted timestamp)

3.A witness statement explaining how the email was obtained and verified

Limitations to state honestly

DKIM verification does not establish that the sender is who they claim to be (only that the email came from that domain), that the content is true, or that unsigned portions of the message were not changed. A responsible submission states these limits.

SelfCheck is operated by HandyHope CIC, a UK community interest company registered with the ICO (ZB993576).

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Drop an .eml file on the homepage for an instant verification — no account needed.

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