[Resolved] Incorrect "Return-Path" when Sending Mail with PHP

[partypete]

Hello,

I run a site which requires e-mail validation for users to join. The problem is that some of the validation e-mails are not reaching the new members because return-path address does not exist.

In the PHP script that sends the e-mail, I set the FROM address to "[e-mail]", but in the header of the sent e-mail, the return-path is set as "[e-mail]". Because "[e-mail]" is not a real e-mail address, the mails are bounced back as I assume spam. Or the receiving server sees it as trying to spoof or fake the sender address.

Is there some way when sending mail with PHP to make the "return-path" use the proper FROM address that is set in the script?

Thank you for any and all help!!

Note:
master.com - is my master domain for my hosting account.
domain.com - is one domain/site on my hosting account.
xxxxx.com - is the recipients domain.

The header with incorrect "return-path":

Return-path: <[e-mail]>
Envelope-to: [email][e-mail][/email]
Delivery-date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 12:13:03 -0400
Received: from nobody by server.master.com with local (Exim 4.50)
	id 1DlUK6-0000Vt-Pp
	for [email][e-mail][/email]; Thu, 23 Jun 2005 12:13:03 -0400
To: [email][e-mail][/email]
Subject: Domain.com - Please Confirm Membership
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1
From: Domain.com <[e-mail]>
Message-Id: <[e-mail]>
Date: Thu, 23 Jun 2005 12:13:02 -0400

The PHP script sending the e-mail:

$mailemail = htmlentities(stripslashes($user_email));
$mailusername = htmlentities(stripslashes($user_name));
$mailpassword = htmlentities(stripslashes($user_password));
$mailconfirm = $sv_user_confirm;
$mailconfirmby = htmlentities(date('g:i a, M jS',strtotime($sv_user_confirmby)));
/* recipients */
$to = "$mailemail";
$subject = "Domain.com - Please Confirm Membership";

/* message */
$message = "Message here...";

/* To send HTML mail, you can set the Content-type header. */
$headers  = "MIME-Version: 1.0\r\n";
$headers .= "Content-type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1\r\n";

/* additional headers */
$headers .= "From: Domain.com <[e-mail]>\r\n";

$headers .= "Bcc: ";

/* and now mail it */
mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers);

[Drakla]

Also include a Reply-To in your headers, and use the -f option as the 5th parameter to mail to set the envelope, i.e. [e-mail]

[partypete]

Okay, does it look like I made the changes correctly? 😉 It's correct to add the single quotes at - '[e-mail]'

Thanks again for the help. I hope this gets the e-mails through.

$mailemail = htmlentities(stripslashes($user_email));
$mailusername = htmlentities(stripslashes($user_name));
$mailpassword = htmlentities(stripslashes($user_password));
$mailconfirm = $sv_user_confirm;
$mailconfirmby = htmlentities(date('g:i a, M jS',strtotime($sv_user_confirmby)));
/* recipients */
$to = "$mailemail";
$subject = "Domain.com - Please Confirm Membership";

/* message */
$message = "Message here...";

/* To send HTML mail, you can set the Content-type header. */
$headers  = "MIME-Version: 1.0\r\n";
$headers .= "Content-type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-1\r\n";

/* additional headers */
$headers .= "From: Domain.com <[e-mail]>\r\n";

$headers .= "Reply-To: Domain.com <[e-mail]>\r\n";

$headers .= "Bcc: ";

/* and now mail it */
mail($to, $subject, $message, $headers, '[e-mail]');