Would you like to trace the internet protocol (IP) address of a smartphone or computer and identify the location of the person behind it? Finding someone’s IP address can be extremely easy when you know the procedure. So, how do you spy using an IP address?
Using online software such as Grabify or IP Logger, you can get information relating to the user’s IP address and location by creating and sending them a clickable link. You can also access their IP address in their emails by clicking on More and then “Show Original” or “Show Message Source.”
In this article, we will show you the methods to use to identify the virtual address of a user and the applications that allow you to do so. Determining who is behind an IP address can be very useful to unmask imposters and possible hackers! So keep reading.
What is an IP address?
An IP address is an identification number unique to a computer network. This is used in identifying all devices that connect to the same network. If you have an internet box at home, your computer, smartphones, and tablets will be linked to the same Internet Protocol (IP). It is a code of four numbers, between 0 and 255, each separated by a dot, such as 198.125.1.1.
Can I know who’s behind an IP address?
Legally, the status of the IP address has long been unclear. However, it is impossible to determine precisely who is hiding behind an IP address. This makes spying on what they are and what they do difficult. Therefore, it’s only indirect personal data that can be collected since:
- Several people can use the same IP address (via different devices)
- Some IP addresses are dynamic, and they can change/be reused and therefore identify another user
- It can be a public IP address
- Knowing who owns an IP address at a given time is only possible for the Internet Service Provider connected to this IP address
However, many governments are now making legislation that the IP address is part of personal data. It is therefore subject to the law relating to data processing, files, and freedoms, which prohibits the collection of this type of information. However, an exception is accepted when you have to find the identity of a hacker, a scammer, or a person who harasses you.
In this case, finding someone’s IP address is allowed, and you need to follow the next steps. If the purpose is otherwise, you have to tread carefully and think about what the consequences can be.
How to trace an IP address?
There are two easily applicable solutions for tracing someone’s IP address. The first, classic, will consist in analyzing the emails that you receive from someone to discover his IP address. The second solution will be to use IP tracking software specially designed to identify the owner of an IP address.
Using Classic Servers
In the vast majority of cases, when you receive an email, you will be able to see the sender’s IP address in a few steps. All you have to do is access the email in HTML and Desktop mode and click on “More” and then “Show original.” You can also see this by clicking on “Show message source” by clicking, in the email, on the options menu located most often in the top left corner of the message or at its very end.
A tab will open with all the coded data relating to the sender. By browsing these lines of code, you will be able to find the IP address. It will also be possible to see if the address is verified and thus prevent phishing attempts, the installation of Keylogger, or any malware that might infect your machine.
On other services, such as online chat, forums, or inter-computer communication services (such as Skype or MSN), exchanges between two people are only possible when the two IP addresses are known. Because of this, it is possible to easily identify someone’s IP address and know their (approximate) location.
Via IP logging applications
If you want to know who is hiding behind an IP address, software programs allow you to trace an IP address more precisely. Among them are:
1. Grabify IP Logger
This is easy-to-use free software. It allows you to generate a clickable link, which you must provide to a potential hacker you suspect.
Imagine you are talking with a person on a dating site, on a forum, and they seem suspicious to you; provide them with the Grabify link and invite them to click on it (under some pretext).
You will only have to return to the Grabify site to consult the analysis made by the site! With this tool, you’ll be able to see the IP address of the target and see their actual location even when using a VPN.
2. IP Logger
IP Logger uses much the same system as Grabify to find someone’s IP address. The site provides you with a link on which your target will have to click. Then, you will only have to read the results directly on the IP Logger site.
3. Blasze IP Logger
Blasze IP Logger offers the same type of operation, and you can generate a link for more confidentiality. Then, after getting an individual to click on your link, all you have to do is verify the tracking on the site.
Conclusion
If you’ve been the victim of a breach of trust or a scam, finding the IP address of someone you’ve interacted with will help you when filing a complaint. This will not necessarily lead to the resolution of your problem because the scams are often carried out from Internet cafes. Still, the police will request the identification of an IP address to the person’s ISP to carry out the investigation.
Remember that these results are not 100% accurate, and the location will sometimes be vague. However, when you have been the victim of a hack or an online scam, it is essential to be able to build a reliable and complete complaint file. Being able to prove that your interlocutor is not in the United States as he claims but rather in Nigeria, Ghana, Russia, or China, can make all the difference.
