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Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 5:02 pm

Hi, I'm new to your forum.

Is it possible for a scammer to identify you thru your IP address and match you up with recent online communications?

In other words could the scammer who tried to scam me identify me as the one he was trying to scam recently.....if he is smart enough to have kept any emails from me?

I'd like to get back at him if it were possible and play with his mind a little bit. Of course I would have to get a new email address, but could he trace it back to my ORIGINAL online origin? Are they smart enough to do that?
Or how can I hide my original IP address?

Posted: Tue Jun 30, 2009 5:30 pm

hi scambuster2097, and welcome.

your ip address is usually not enough to identify you - often it will resolve to a vague geographic area like a city.
but if you use a work pc, it could identify the company you work for, which you would want to avoid.

you can hide your ip address by using gmail / googlemail.
it will show Google's ip address, not yours, as along as you use the webmail version of gmail.
but if you link gmail to a mail program like outlook, then it will send your real ip address.

** Retired ** Joined: 14 May 2007 Posts: 750 Location: Air

Further to the above, hushmail and fastmail also strip the IP from the outbound email.

Welcome to eater Very Happy

Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:34 am

Ok, thanks, guys, for replying.

I have another question...I have asked for a mentor, but until I get one maybe you could also answer this one for me.
If I am talking thru an online email to this idiot, as long as I don't click on anything he sends me, like files, etc, can he load my pc up with a virus or some kind of spyware or password/bank number collection program to get information from me to like, wipe me out financially?
I will NOT click to download anything he sends. I know not to do that. But can they still give you a virus or spyware just chatting thru email?

In response to r2d2, I will not do this at work. This is my own computer at home.

Not quite a Newb Joined: 29 Jun 2009 Posts: 46

That's where its again beneficial to get a more secure email account. AOL and Yahoo only have cursory anti-virus protection. Gmail, Hushmail, and Fastmail all have good antivirus and antispyware protection.

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

scambuster2097 wrote:

But can they still give you a virus or spyware just chatting thru email?

Relax kid, if that were the case 99% of everyone here would have have Herpes.

Don't click on any attachments, don't download anything from them, have good AV software, read your Bible every night and don't touch yourself in an impure manner. Follow those instructions and you should be fine.

You may also want look into a Linux operating system, then you can pretty much do anything you want.

Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:53 am

Pastor Frank wrote:

scambuster2097 wrote:

But can they still give you a virus or spyware just chatting thru email?

Relax kid, if that were the case 99% of everyone here would have have Herpes.

Don't click on any attachments, don't download anything from them, have good AV software, read your Bible every night and don't touch yourself in an impure manner. Follow those instructions and you should be fine.

You may also want look into a Linux operating system, then you can pretty much do anything you want.

that's me stuffed then Crying or Very sad

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Star A Star wrote:

that's me stuffed then Crying or Very sad

Damnit, I hate doing computer support,

Here we go...

Download http://www.safer-networking.org/index2.html

Install and run it.

Then download http://download.cnet.com/Ad-Aware-Anniversary-Edition/3000-8022_4-10045910.html?part=dl-ad-aware&subj=dl&tag=top5

Install and run it.

Next... download and install... http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/upgrade.html

Get back to me after that.

Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 9:28 am

^ you forgot the tin-foil helmet. Wink

Elite Baiter Joined: 19 Jan 2008 Posts: 1043

I don't see how any of that is going to stop me touching myself in an impure manner. I doubt it will even read interesting bible quotations to me.

@scambuster2097: Whilst any form of IP stripping webmail and online security precautions will keep you safe from the -tiny- possible threat than an irate scammer might try to track you down or send you all manner of viruses, I think it's probably not a good idea to start baiting someone who was previously scamming you. Especially if you have any form of emotional attachment or worry regarding your communications with him. I think he is much more likely to recognise your writing style than your IP (That's if the scam got past the initial scripted stage and you actually were communicating)

Personally, I'd recommend getting a shiny new lad from surplus and learn to bait that way. It also means that when you mess up your first few baits, you won't be burning your chance with a lad you want to torture.

Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 2:02 pm

If it's a lad who scammed your or tried to scam you then I take it he has your RL info. If you send him mail now he can check the headers and see your IP to your new baiting address matches the other one.

This is not something lads normally do. Most don't know how and don't really care to learn. Doing this takes time and considering he may be Emailing dozens of victims, checking every header would be time consuming and lads usually use cafes they pay for I think by the hour. Checking headers just is not something lads do.

To be safe though, I'd use Gmail on this lad. Not that he would ever consider paying you a visit. Lads scam, they don't track people down to throw them a beating. For one, lads are cowards. Also tracking people down would cost them money and they won't be able to scam during the tracking down trip. Also, if a lad were to look for someone to beat up, he would be exposing himself and putting himself at risk of being arrested. Lads scam via the Internet because the risk of arrest is extremely low.

If he did match your IP all he would do is use it to insult you later when he figures out you aren't going to send him any money.

About wiping you out financially by infecting your PC. If he could do this, he wouldn't be bothering to send out his silly formats. He would be infecting people's PCs and wiping them out financially.

Viruses by opening an Email is not likely. Sending a virus through an attachment isn't as easy as you think. I open attachments all the time. Usually just jpeg and through the web based interface. Just don't click on any .exe files. Personally, I don't think a policy of not opening up attachments sent to you by lads is too extreme. If you don't know any better then it is always better to err on the side of caution.

Lads don't really mess with viruses. They want your money. It wouldn't benefit them financially to send you a virus so they don't do it. Why would he destroy your PC when he thinks he might be able to get money from you next month by sending you a different format? Also, to effectively send viruses they'd have to keep them updated to get past your AV. Again, this would be time consuming, cost money, and wouldn't get the lad free money. That is all he wants. Just keep your AV up to date and scan your PC often.

I am glad to see you are asking questions. Better to ask than remain in the dark. However, be aware, if you continue to ask safety questions someone will answer you not based on their knowledge but based on their own paranoia. That is just something to keep in mind.

Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 2:11 pm

Newdonym wrote:

I don't see how any of that is going to stop me touching myself in an impure manner. I doubt it will even read interesting bible quotations to me.

@scambuster2097: Whilst any form of IP stripping webmail and online security precautions will keep you safe from the -tiny- possible threat than an irate scammer might try to track you down or send you all manner of viruses, I think it's probably not a good idea to start baiting someone who was previously scamming you. Especially if you have any form of emotional attachment or worry regarding your communications with him. I think he is much more likely to recognise your writing style than your IP (That's if the scam got past the initial scripted stage and you actually were communicating)

Personally, I'd recommend getting a shiny new lad from surplus and learn to bait that way. It also means that when you mess up your first few baits, you won't be burning your chance with a lad you want to torture.

Ok, this sounds like a very good idea. Get my feet wet on someone else first. I would, though, like to torture the one who tortured me. I could change my writing style up so he wouldn't recognize me. We did chat for about a month. I want to scam him back so bad, I can hardly wait to do it to the little bastard.

I still have his email address, so in time, I'm going to email to that address and see if he is still using it, and if he responds. I'll get my feet wet on someone else first.

Thanks so much for your advice.

Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 4:44 pm

Welcome to eaterland, scambuster2097!

Very Happy

Baiting Guru Joined: 31 Jan 2007 Posts: 12237

Ghost wrote:

However, be aware, if you continue to ask safety questions someone will answer you not based on their knowledge but based on their own paranoia.

And since when is paranoia a bad thing, negative Nancy?

Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 5:47 am

Being paranoid is mankind's natural way of keeping us alive Smile

Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 6:15 am

Thanks to everyone for replying and thanks for the welcome.

I AM reading all over the site and gaining information daily.
I'm not ready to bait anyone yet, but I will get there eventually.

Sure is an interesting site.