# Can the "to:" part of an email on an iPhone be changed after it was sent? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 11, 2016, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-to-part-of-an-email-on-an-iphone-be-changed-after-it-was-sent/757117 "2016-06-11T16:14:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2016, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-to-part-of-an-email-on-an-iphone-be-changed-after-it-was-sent/757117/1 "2016-06-11T16:14:03Z")
Meaning: I get a business related email. The “from” part has the persons name. The “to” part says something unflattering. Example: From: John Doe To: Asshole Tap on asshole and it has my email address. Is there any possible way that could have been changed after the fact? Like a prank by one of my friends? Or did it have to come from the sender either seriously fucking up after a crazy office party or disliking me for some unknown reason? ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2016, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-to-part-of-an-email-on-an-iphone-be-changed-after-it-was-sent/757117/2 "2016-06-11T16:24:17Z")
No. Once it is sent it is done. There have been some efforts at being able to change the email you sent after the fact but they never really worked except in some very special circumstances. So remember when you hit “SEND” that is it. It is out there in the world and well beyond your control. ---
**Author:** ![Pasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pasta)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2016, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-to-part-of-an-email-on-an-iphone-be-changed-after-it-was-sent/757117/3 "2016-06-11T16:30:43Z")
Check your contacts. A prank on your phone sounds most likely. If you change the name of a contact for a given email address, it does show up as the new name in the mail client. ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2016, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-to-part-of-an-email-on-an-iphone-be-changed-after-it-was-sent/757117/4 "2016-06-11T16:31:29Z")
Nevermind. Prank. Confirmed. Apparently if you do something in Siri it can change how the “to” portion appears on your end. Ugh. Not cool. Thank god it’s Saturday. ---
**Author:** ![Pasta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@Pasta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pasta)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2016, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-to-part-of-an-email-on-an-iphone-be-changed-after-it-was-sent/757117/5 "2016-06-11T16:34:05Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > No. > > Once it is sent it is done. He’s asking about the visual presentation of the email on the iPhone. The info in the email headers is overridden by the info one’s own contacts list if they differ. To OP: If your entry in your iPhone contacts looks normal, then a definitive check would be to view the email headers. If you have a different (non-iPhone) way of viewing mail, it probably has an option. In GMail it’s “Show original” under the email’s little drop down options menu. ---
**Author:** ![leahcim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b4bc9f/32.png) [@leahcim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leahcim)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2016, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-to-part-of-an-email-on-an-iphone-be-changed-after-it-was-sent/757117/6 "2016-06-11T16:34:29Z")
It _could_ be modified by someone other than the sender – Nicknames like that are plain text in the email headers and not generally encrypted. But it would have to be someone with better-than-typical access to a mail server (either yours, theirs, or somewhere in between). Is it more likely that the sender thinks you’re an asshole, or your IT guys think you’re an asshole? Edit: And Ninja’d by everybody… ---
**Author:** ![beowulff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beowulff/32/542_2.png) [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2016, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-to-part-of-an-email-on-an-iphone-be-changed-after-it-was-sent/757117/7 "2016-06-11T16:39:21Z")
> [@Quintas](#): > > Nevermind. Prank. Confirmed. > > Apparently if you do something in Siri it can change how the “to” portion appears on your end. > > Ugh. Not cool. Thank god it’s Saturday. It’s a simple as “Siri, call me Asshole.” ---
**Author:** ![Quintas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/48db29/32.png) [@Quintas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quintas)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2016, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-the-to-part-of-an-email-on-an-iphone-be-changed-after-it-was-sent/757117/8 "2016-06-11T16:55:15Z")
> [@beowulff](#): > > It’s a simple as “Siri, call me Asshole.” lol. Yep. Now I know.