How to Determine E-mail's Country of Origin

[RexxSysProg]

Is there a way to reliably determine the true country of origin for an e-mail? I know there is a website that will take the IP address and tell you based upon that. But how can I tell if the IP address in the e-mail header is actually the origination point? And if the ISP that is being used by the sender is in a different country than he is in, won't that change the result?

 

[58sniper]

You can't. There is no way to prove the originating IP address, because it can (and generally is) altered in the case of spam.

Pat Richard
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Contributing author The Complete Reference: Microsoft Exchange Server 2007

 

[goombawaho]

Don't chase your tail trying to stop or identify spam. Use a junk e-mail address for subscribing to things or downloading free trials. Use your real address for important things/people and be careful with it.

 

[RexxSysProg]

Thank you goombawaho and 58sniper for your answers. The problem is not an issue of spam. There are people who have written regarding international issues on a website and claiming to be from the countries in question. If they are, their opinions and views are significant. If they are not and are just faking it or trying to be misleading, or even if they believe what they are writing but are not from the countries in question - they're 'outsiders' - their responses must be discounted.

 

[goombawaho]

If you have an FTP server, you could ask them to log into that and download a small file that only you and they know the name of. Then you would have their IP address which could be identified (not precisely) but to a geographic region certainly.

 

[SimonDavies]

Better still, if it's your website just enable logging and check to see where people are coming in from (you could perhaps put a page up specifically for these people so that it's not linked from the main website and then just look at that particular pages information).

I did something similar years ago (long story short, my bosses were spying on my out of work activities, I caught on that they were doing it.. not to worry it wasn't anything illegal but it was fun watching them trying it on with them not knowing that I knew it was them).

SimonD.

The real world is not about exam scores, it's about ability.

 

[goombawaho]

^^^ Same principle as what I was suggesting. So I get the star if he does what you said - right?

Seriously though - it sounds like a lot of hassle. It seems if there were real problems, you would hear about it from multiple people rather than relying on one group complaining.

 

[58sniper]

Do not solicit stars for yourself. It's a violation of the rules here. You may recommend that a star be awarded to someone else, but the solicitation of stars for yourself is grounds for termination of your account.

Looking at an IP address is not a valid solution, for many reasons. First, the IP address can be spoofed, altered, or even removed for the first hop, unless it's the only hop a message takes.

Second, even if the IP address is valid, that's where the message hits the Internet, which may, or may not, be in the same country as the user.

Pat Richard
Microsoft Exchange MVP
Contributing author The Complete Reference: Microsoft Exchange Server 2007

 

[goombawaho]

Have you ever heard of a tongue-in-cheek comment? You'll note I said "Seriously though" in the 2nd parapgraph so as to ascribe my previous statement to whimsy and not actual seriousness.

Thanks for allowing me to clarify my statement before being terminated prematurely. I shall never, even in jest, have the appearance of being a star monger again in the future.

Relax a little and have fun. You may just live longer and prosper.