There are times when you receive an email from an unknown person or a unknown email address, now you are skeptical about the mail and would really like to know something more about the sender before replying.
Some Basic’s about Email
Email Communications uses two Protocols
1. simple Mail Tranfer Protocol(SMTP port – 25)
2. Post office Protocol (pop port – 110)
Email path while travelling from sender to receiver
Methods to perform mail Tracing
Google Search – Google have huge Database and one of the easiest method to perform a mail tracing. If the email address have been used before on other websites or public forums then there are chances that you will fill find some info in Google search.
Using Mail Header – Let’s assume you are a Gmail user. To find the header all you have to do is open that mail and in the right upper corner of the mail (Where date is shown) click on the tab > Show original. Gmail will show you the mail in original format. Look for the line “Received: from”. At the end of the line you will find the sender’s ip address in square brackets ( If you Find more then one IP address then use the last one). Same procedure is with other mail services, find the header and look for ip address.
Information that email Header will provide you
1 Sender’s email address
2 Source IP address
3 Source mail server
4 Email client
Now copy paste the IP address in this trace route tool ( By Google). This will give you a good idea of the origin of that mail.
Facebook – Facebook have almost 900 million users. That ultimately make this social networking site a huge database of public info which could really prove helpful in mail tracing. Facebook provide a feature of searching a person using a mail address. So, if a person using the same Email address for facebook also then you have a chance of getting more info about him/her. You Just have to write the email address of the Email sender into the Facebook search box and Facebook will search for a matching Email Profile in the network.
Note: You can only search a person using an email if He/She have allowed mail search setting in facebook privacy settings.
People Search engine
There are various people search engines available which will automatically search the Email address in various Social Networking sites. One of the most popular people search engine is Spokeo. Spokeo is a paid service and allows you to access limited info if you are not a member.
Tools for Mail Tracing
Visualware Email tracking Pro – Email tracking Pro allows you to trace the IP address to find the Geographical location of the computer used to send the Email.
Download Emailtracker Pro
McAfee NeoTrace – Neo Trace is one of the world’s most popular tracer and loaded with many handy features.
Download NeoTrace
Note: Getting a Geographical location using an IP address doesn’t always mean that what you have found is 100% correct info. There could be chance that the hacker have compromised someone else computer or might have hide his IP using various methods.
These are the most basic methods that even a non tech person can use for mail tracing if you know other tricks to trace mail, add it in our comment section.
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