Tracing the Owner of an Email Address
Ever wondered who might be behind a particular email address? Maybe an anonymous email user is responsible for harassing, stalking, making false allegations to your employer or defaming you by contacting your friends or family. Identifying the owner of an email address can be challenging, especially when anonymity is part of the game.
Sure, setting up an email account with little to no personal info is easy, but finding out who’s on the other side? That’s where skills and a touch of thinking outside the box come into play. It’s also where experts like Cybertrace shine.
That is why we are here to share some clever ways for you to trace an email owner yourself. But don’t expect us to spill all our secrets…some tricks are best left to the experts!
Start with a Simple Google Search
The first piece of advice you’ll hear from anyone when trying to trace an email address is, “Just Google it”. And honestly? We agree, it is a good starting point. You never know what a quick search might reveal. The email address could pop up in a forum post, a public directory, or even in publicly available documents where it was listed as a username or contact detail.
But the key to making your search more effective is by using advanced Google search techniques and on this occasion, we recommend searching the email address within quotation marks (“”). When you search for an email address on Google, putting it in quotation marks tells the search engine to look for exact matches. For example, if the email address you’re checking is [email protected], enter it into the search bar like this:
This narrows down the results and ensures that Google shows pages where the exact email address appears, rather than scattered results with unrelated records.
While this approach might not always give you immediate answers, it’s an essential first step that can lead to valuable information. And if the email has been publicly shared or mentioned somewhere, a Google search can be the quickest way to uncover it.
If your initial search doesn’t produce any results, don’t worry, there’s another trick you can try. Instead of searching for the entire email address, focus on the username (the part before the @ sign).
Using our earlier example, you could search for “notarealemail” instead of the full email address. Again, give it a go within quotation marks to find exact matches. As some people tend to reuse the same username across multiple platforms, such as social media, forums, gaming accounts, and more. With a bit of luck, this could lead you to profiles, posts, or other accounts associated with the email owner. That said, keep in mind that this isn’t a foolproof method. Not everyone sticks to the same username everywhere, and even if you find a match, you’ll need to dig a little deeper to verify if it’s actually tied to the person behind the email address.
Explore Social Media Platforms
Another useful way to trace the owner of an email address is by searching social media platforms. Social media platforms are not just about staying connected with friends, they can be a goldmine of information.
Try searching for the email address directly on popular platforms such as Facebook, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, and even online forums like Reddit. Start by entering the email into the search bar and see what comes up. You might be surprised to find a post or comment that mentions the email address you’re looking for. Sometimes, it could also be listed as a contact email address in someone’s profile bio or professional summary, giving you a direct lead.
Digging Deeper with Email Header Analysis
If you’ve received an email from the anonymous email address you’re trying to trace, which most people have, that’s why you want to trace the email sender in the first place! Then there’s another powerful source of information at your disposal, the email header.
The steps to view email headers vary depending on the email service you use. Here’s a quick guide for the most common email services:
● Gmail: Open the email, click the three dots in the top-right corner, and select “Show original”.
● Outlook (Web): Open the email, click the three dots, and choose “View message source”. The process might differ for other versions of Outlook. For instructions on newer versions, visit the Microsoft Support page.
So, what can you actually see in email headers? An email header is like a digital roadmap containing technical information that can reveal the path an email took from the sender to your inbox. Although interpreting email headers might feel really confusing and technical, they are one of the most effective ways to find the origin of an email. One useful piece of information you can find in the header is the originating IP address. To locate the originating IP address, look for a line in the header labelled “Received:”, this is where the IP address is usually listed.
However, just because you find an IP address doesn’t mean it is the true source IP address of the email. If the email comes from a popular provider like Gmail, most of the IP addresses listed will simply point to Gmail’s mail servers. But in some cases where the sender is using a different email provider, you might find a “clean” IP address that points to the sender.
A clean IP address in this context means that it is not being masked by a Virtual Private Network (VPN), meaning it directly traces back to the sender’s likely location. You can use online tools like ipinfo.io to check if an IP address is associated with a VPN. This can give you a better idea of whether the email originated from a legitimate source and provide details about the sender’s network. Even though it might be tricky, tracing an IP address can often reveal important clues and help you get closer to identifying who is behind the email address.
Another Technique: Content Analysis
When trying to track down the person behind an email, one useful approach is to analyse the content itself. If you suspect a particular individual may be responsible, try comparing the email’s tone, writing style, and language with how that person typically communicates online. Sometimes, this can give you a clearer picture of whether the email truly came from them or not.
What else can Cybertrace do?
There’s actually a lot more we can do to help. At Cybertrace, we have access to international investigative tools that are unavailable to the public. And let’s just say, we have a few insider tricks up our sleeve that we won’t be sharing with just anyone!
If you’re struggling to interpret your findings or need assistance conducting a more thorough investigation, don’t hesitate to contact us. Our team of expert cyber investigators will ensure you get the information you need to uncover who’s behind an email address.
