> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.mailchannels.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Law enforcement requests

> How law enforcement officials can investigate emails sent through MailChannels, and how to submit a legal request for information.

MailChannels is a general-purpose email delivery service used by hundreds of companies across 82 countries, processing email for millions of end users across over 600 web hosting networks.

## What MailChannels does and does not store

* MailChannels does **not** store copies of email messages. Messages are queued briefly (seconds to up to 6 hours) during delivery and are not retained after delivery completes.
* MailChannels does **not** have information about the identity of individual end users who send email through the service.
* Email delivery logs are retained for **35 days**. We have no information about deliveries that occurred more than 35 days ago.
* MailChannels adheres to privacy laws and regulations in the jurisdictions where it operates.

## Investigating email headers

To determine the origin of an email sent through MailChannels, examine the following headers in the message:

### X-MailChannels-SenderId

Identifies the MailChannels customer and the end user who sent the email.

* Format: `customername|identifier-type|enduser-identifier`
* Example: `customername|x-authuser|enduser123`

This indicates that `enduser123` sent the email as a user of `customername`.

### Received

Shows the IP addresses of machines from which the email originated.

```text theme={null}
Received: from [192.0.2.1] (unknown [203.0.113.40])
  by smtp.mailchannels.net (Postfix) with ESMTPA id 1234ABCD
  for <recipient@example.com>;
  Wed, 11 Sep 2024 12:34:56 +0000 (UTC)
```

In this example, `smtp.mailchannels.net` received the email from `192.0.2.1`. To investigate further, contact the owner of that IP address.

Combining the IP address owner from the `Received` headers with the customer name from `X-MailChannels-SenderId` identifies the company with a direct relationship to the end user responsible for the message.

## Submitting a legal request

If header analysis does not provide sufficient information, law enforcement officials should contact MailChannels directly:

1. Email [legal@mailchannels.com](mailto:legal@mailchannels.com)
2. Include the **full headers** of any messages under investigation — without headers, MailChannels cannot assist
3. Provide details of the investigation and the specific information you are seeking

MailChannels will assist with investigations to the best of its ability while respecting privacy obligations to customers and end users under applicable law.