How Can I Track An IP Address

pyewacket

New Email
Actually my question is more how can I track who is using a certain IP address? I've had run-ins of being cyber-stalked and a potential stalker somehow found my private email address. I have the person's IP address but would like to be able to find WHO is using it and where
BTW--I DO know how to report cyber-stalkers but still would like to know how to track someone and find the identity of the user of the IP address for my own satsifaction
 

EQ Admin

EQ Forum Admin
Staff member
Hello,

A lot of information can be found out about an IP address including the geographic location and the ISP that owns it, but it's usually not possible for anyone but the ISP to know for certain which customer is using an IP address. You may be able to combine this information with their email address using the following tools :

The owners real name and other information may be found by doing a Reverse Email Directory Search.

To get the IP address from an email you can check the full email headers.

You can use this site to check what ISP owns an IP address - ARIN: WHOIS Database Search

With the full email headers, IP address, and whois lookup you should have enough information to call your local police department and have their cybercrimes department investigate the issue further. They will have the power to contact the ISP and get the private customer data that the ISP most likely will not be willing to release to you.

You mentioned you already know how to make a report. Other things that may or may not work for you while trying to confirm the identity of someone include doing a google search for the IP address and seeing what comes up, or contacting the person you suspect has an IP address with a fake IM or Facebook account. Lead those to an email conversation with the suspect and see what IP address they are using. Don't forget they'll be able to see your IP address too.

If at any time you feel you are in danger please call the police immediately.
 
Last edited:

chea

New Email
i dont know how it works in the states but here in the uk i can force an ip change quite easily, my isp comes up as at least 3 different names and with dozens of of ip's. i depends on which server my adsl connects me too.
 

EQ Admin

EQ Forum Admin
Staff member
The ISP's DHCP servers would/should still have a record of which of their boxes had the IP's at any given time and be able to track an IP to a customer within a reasonable amount of time, or at least start tracking the activity in an area at the request of the police
 

chea

New Email
absolutely, but my point was in reference to this part
"contacting the person you suspect has an IP address with a fake IM or Facebook account. Lead those to an email conversation with the suspect and see what IP address they are using. Don't forget they'll be able to see your IP address too."if the suspected person changes there ip addres as i said then you could be thrown off the sent and think it not them
 

EQ Admin

EQ Forum Admin
Staff member
I got the impression from the original post that they may have had an idea of who the stalker was in real life, but I may have been mistaking about that
 

chea

New Email
no, you are right about that and its good advice that i think should be followed but was just pointing out that checking or comparing ip's from e-mails can be fooled by simply forcing an ip change, ie:- i send you hate mail now, you suspect its me so trick me into sending you another e-mail but in the mean time i force ip change, you compare my new email with the hate mail and now they don't match so your number one suspect (me) is no longer a suspect
 

EQ Admin

EQ Forum Admin
Staff member
There are also people out there who use the anonymous IP services so that their web browsing and email activity are from ever changing IP addresses across multiple continents, not just several IP addresses from within one ISP
 

Frizzle

New Email
What if person sends from a wifi spot such as a coffee shop? They would only have the IP for the coffee shop?

Hello,

A lot of information can be found out about an IP address including the geographic location and the ISP that owns it, but it's usually not possible for anyone but the ISP to know for certain which customer is using an IP address.

To get the IP address from an email you can check the full email headers.

You can use this site to check what ISP owns an IP address - ARIN: WHOIS Database Search

With the full email headers, IP address, and whois lookup you should have enough information to call your local police department and have their cybercrimes department investigate the issue further. They will have the power to contact the ISP and get the private customer data that the ISP most likely will not be willing to release to you.

You mentioned you already know how to make a report. Other things that may or may not work for you while trying to confirm the identity of someone include doing a google search for the IP address and seeing what comes up, or contacting the person you suspect has an IP address with a fake IM or Facebook account. Lead those to an email conversation with the suspect and see what IP address they are using. Don't forget they'll be able to see your IP address too.

If at any time you feel you are in danger please call the police immediately.

:thanks: -Raymond
 

EQ Admin

EQ Forum Admin
Staff member
Yes, if they send from a public access point they'd likely have the same IP address(es) as other people using the wifi public access point for a reasonable period of time
 
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