Can an email show my name while coming from another address?

What is a display name?

A common attack in messaging abuse is the presentation of false information in the display-name portion of the RFC5322.From field.

Every email has a From line with two parts: a name and an address. The name is a label the sender types. The address is where the message claims to come from.

RFC 7489 describes false information in the display name of the From field as a common attack.

Why is the display name a risk?

The attack is predicated on the notion that most common MUAs will show the display name and not the email address when both are available.

A message can show your partner's or your bookkeeper's name above an address that has nothing to do with your firm. Many phones show only the name.

The same standard treats display name attacks as out of scope for DMARC. A sending domain with perfect settings can still carry a false name.

What can I do about false display names?

Generally, display name attacks are out of scope for DMARC, as further exploration of possible defenses against these attacks needs to be undertaken.

1. Tap or hover on the sender's name to see the full address before you act on a request.
2. Turn on the option in your mail program that shows full sender addresses, where it has one.
3. Ask staff to confirm money requests by phone, on a number already on file, whatever name the email shows.