IP address tracing?

[raindogs1144]

Im not sure if this is the best forum to post this in, but I thought Id give it a try...

Im kind of embarresd to admit this, but I thought Id ask it anyway. I posted a dating ad online and was talking to someone back and forth. To make a long story short, this person was really strange so I told them I didnt want to talk to them anymore. So for whatever reason, the freaked out on me and told me I was "fake" and not really who I said I was. They said that they had a good freind who is a "government offical" and was going to have them trace my IP and let me work and family know that I was posting online as a fake person.

It dosent make a difference if this person is able to do this, since I have nothing to hide, but it freaks me out that this person could find out who I am and where I work. I was wondering what the possibility of this is? Ive done some research, and other than getting someones general location and ISP, it dosent seem possible that they can find out my name and address with out a subponea.

I guess what Im wondering is what is the reality of the person a) getting a subponea, and b) actually being able to find me even if they have someone who works in the government (although Im not sure that makes a difference).

Any advice would be helpful since Im really worried about this.

 

[joelm3103]

You may wanna read this thread:
http://www.techist.com/forums/f44/can-someone-find-me-my-ip-address-235510/

It was previously discussed not to long ago pertaining to somewhat the same stuff.

 

[Win2kpatcher]

To say its not possible would not be accurate.....there are many skilled folks out there who could indeed find out your location with just a little bit of information and get paid **** good money to do it....but the reality of someone actually dedicating the time and resources to do this is really slim. You really have to have done some bad to someone (cheating comes to mind) for things to get this far or of course done something illegal. Anyone can grab your public ISP address...its probably logged right now at this site...but the most common folk and not even the casual hacker can do much with it....if anything the casual hacker can determine your ISP and general location you are living in....which even that is a little creepy, but i wouldnt worry about it to much. Just ensure you have adequate antivirus to catch trojans and keyloggers and such, windows firewall enabled, and a router in place to isolate yourself off from the external world quite a bit. We should turn the tables on them and post there information publicly

 

[raindogs1144]

Thanks guys, you made me feel much better! And trust me, this person isnt a hacker. If you knew the nature of the emails that we sent back and forth, and the information they gave that I never even asked for, youd understand. lol

But when someone says "I have a freind who can trace your IP and will let your work and family know what youve been doing", needless to say, it really scared me.

 

[joelm3103]

Well that's good to know and be safe mate . Careful what you sign up for and stuff like that.

 

[raindogs1144]

Well that's good to know and be safe mate . Careful what you sign up for and stuff like that.

Yeah I know. And trust me, if anything I learned a lesson to be more careful who I talk to online. I have to admit, it would be pretty comical if this person was able to find me. I mean, if they started calling my work and home or whatever, then theyd be the one with a lawsuit to worry about! Its called slander! Haha. Thanks again.