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Originally Posted by c7sparks 1] Is there a way to track an IP address through IM messages? Could not find this information in the conversation logs. |
With most IM systems, you communicate to the IM server and not directly with the other party. Therefore, you do not normally know the IP address of the party with which you are communicating.
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Originally Posted by c7sparks 2] Are IP addresses issued by geographical area -- country, state, region? For example (and eliminating 127.0.0.1), do US IP addresses start with a particulars range of numbers, Canada another, France another, Japan another, etc? Or are they more like area codes for which we need a program to determine the players? |
IP addresses are issued in groups to
organizations. Some organizations are geographically based. For example, if the IP address belongs to AtHome Belgium, it is most likely in Belgium.
On the other hand, if the IP address belongs to Hewlett-Packard, where does that mean it is? It could be anywhere.
You can try to
Lookup Coountry by IP Address, but it seems to fail more often than it works. Usually you just receive the message "Country appears to be: Not found in the RIPE database"
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Originally Posted by c7sparks I can find originating IP addresses in email headers and I know that if a router is involved that IP addresses are issued by MAC address (which begs the question... are MAC addresses issued and shipped by geographical region?) |
MAC addresses are issued to manufacturers. If you know a MAC address, you can determine who manufactured the device.
However, MAC addresses are local addresses. They are not transmitted across
routers or other
Layer 3 devices.
If you do have an IP address, the first steps would be to attempt to
traceroute and
WHOIS the IP address.
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Originally Posted by c7sparks The reason I'm asking is... I'm tracking and collecting information on a computer fraud scheme and so far I have 4 email addresses, 3 IM identities and 4 locations in New York, London, South Africa (red flag), and Nigeria (red flag). Locations, of course, are alleged at this point. Is there a legit way to track and trace or will I need what we are all trying to get rid of... spyware (ugh!). Although I know my way around a computer, I am NOT the most savvy. I need some help. Ideas? Answers? Suggestions? |
1. Contact a lawyer.
2. Subpeona the company that runs the IM network. (AOL, Yahoo, Microsoft, etc... for all information they have pertaining to that user.
3. Subpeona the ISP's or companies that show up when you do a WHOIS search on those IP addresses for all information they have pertaining to that user.
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