How To Trace An Email With Reverse Email search

by: Ed Opperman

Many times we will find ourselves in a situation where we have to either locate of identify a person behind an email address. Perhaps we have received a threatening or harassing email. Or maybe we are contemplating a relationship or business venture with a person we met online and all we really know about them is the information they tell us and the email address they use to communicate with us. Sometimes a person will receive an anonymous email from someone that obviously knows a lot about them. They may even have a suspect in mind but need actual proof before confronting the suspect.

So basically their are four major reasons to trace an email with a reverse email search:

1.To locate someone

2. Identify someone

3. Verify information

4. Include or exclude a suspect

This can be accomplished with a reverse email search investigation but maybe not the kind that most people are familiar with. In most cases when a person wants to trace an email they will do an Internet search and find two solutions. One is that it's impossible and you can only get the information with a subpoena or search warrant served on the senders ISP. The second most commonly found solution is to examine the headers in the incoming email header, obtain the IP information and then do a search to identify the ISP.

But these so called solutions will not resolve the problems listed above or provide the solutions mentioned above. What you are really looking for is a trained investigator to take the email address and return real substantial information. This can only be accomplished with a thorough investigation into the email account and an examination of the headers plus email contact with the owner of the email. A seasoned email investigator will have a check list of online sources in the deep Web. These are web sites where people have to open accounts with an email address and a search of these sites can return identifying information about the person behind the email.

Another method is to email the suspect with a pretext and trick them into revealing their identity or location. Some investigators will use a web bug in an email to the suspect. This method will reveal information about the computer the email is opened on and this information can be compared to a list of suspects the client provides. An experienced investigator can also take an IP address and get far more information that the average whois or traceroute. They have confidential informants and sources in the ISPs that can provide information. so as you can see there really is a solution when you need to locate or identify a person behind an email address that go way beyond the advice you'll usually find online.

Copyright (c) 2011 Opperman Investigations Inc