Reverse Email Lookups: How Do They Work?
Randy Eadon
August 29, 2008
Reverse email lookups search server directories for entries matching the specific email address entered, and they are an essential resource for anyone suspicious about spam or other unsolicited messages, or simply needing to get a friend's current address. Reverse email lookups can sometimes be the only way to figure out who actually sent a faked spam message or the whereabouts of a friend to whom you have not spoken in years.
Every time you sign up for an email address or are assigned one through a company or internet provider, that account is added to a long list of current usernames listed to that server. Every email provider keeps and maintains its own list of email addresses, and there are no national public server directories, so reverse email lookups are the only way for most people to access this information. You can find out not only who owns an email address, but also the IP address of their computer, and service address, as well as sometimes additional data as well.
Of course, these server directories searched by reverse email lookups are considered private, so a large number of reverse email lookups charge a small fee to search an email address. For those who only need a little information, often supplied by the domain name, free email searches can be helpful. You can always find out the IP address, company name, and location connected to any domain name for no charge, which is enough information to determine the legitimacy of any email message.
No matter the reason you need to use a reverse email lookup, you can count on such services to quickly access reliable and up to date server directory data. Using a reverse email lookup is as easy as entering the entire email address is question into the search field and waiting for results. While you may need to invest in a particularly detailed lookup to locate a friend's email address, everything you need is linked together.
Every time you sign up for an email address or are assigned one through a company or internet provider, that account is added to a long list of current usernames listed to that server. Every email provider keeps and maintains its own list of email addresses, and there are no national public server directories, so reverse email lookups are the only way for most people to access this information. You can find out not only who owns an email address, but also the IP address of their computer, and service address, as well as sometimes additional data as well.
Of course, these server directories searched by reverse email lookups are considered private, so a large number of reverse email lookups charge a small fee to search an email address. For those who only need a little information, often supplied by the domain name, free email searches can be helpful. You can always find out the IP address, company name, and location connected to any domain name for no charge, which is enough information to determine the legitimacy of any email message.
No matter the reason you need to use a reverse email lookup, you can count on such services to quickly access reliable and up to date server directory data. Using a reverse email lookup is as easy as entering the entire email address is question into the search field and waiting for results. While you may need to invest in a particularly detailed lookup to locate a friend's email address, everything you need is linked together.