What is a Reverse Email Search?

By: Amit Mehta
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:23:32
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So somebody has contacted you; he/she has provided an email address or an instant messenger user name but you have no idea who it belongs to. Well, then it's time to conduct a reverse email search!

A reverse email search scans an array of consumer, Internet and email databases as well as publicly available records to determine if a connection can be found between an email address and a name or address of a specific individual. If there is more than one name associated with the email address you have, then this will be revealed by the reverse email search too.

Any user of the Internet leaves a trail behind that makes a reverse email search possible. For instance, keying in information in various websites may point to your identity, while your IP address often reveals your location. This information could be used by anyone (sometimes, unfortunately, for detrimental ends such as identity fraud and theft). So now that you know that a reverse email search is so easy and effortless to do, it would be wise to exercise caution with the websites you visit and the information that your reveal about yourself.

Why Conduct a Reverse Email Search

One reason why you might conduct a reverse email search is if you receive tons of junk and spam email in your Inbox. Sometimes, these online messages carry viruses, spyware and bugs that damage your personal computer or track your online activities. As such, finding out the sender of these emails will help you in requesting that your name be taken off their distribution lists. And if push comes to shove, you can file a complaint with authorities and provide them the real identify of the party sending you junk email.

Another reason for doing a reverse email search is to check the validity of an email address. Over time, it is likely that an email address is no longer in use and will be closed and discontinued. However, somebody may tap into this email address without the original owner knowing it and use it for their own purposes. In some occasions, the email address may even be assigned to a new user and performing a reverse email search delivers the certainty that you are sending your email to the intended recipient. This is extremely important if you are sending over confidential documents.

There is no better medium to do a reverse email search than online since all the resources are already on the Internet. The likelihood that a reverse email search can be conducted manually through offline databases is almost like searching for a needle in a haystack. This is because the filtering and scanning capabilities of an online reverse email search remain unsurpassed compared to other kinds of database searches that are conducted without the aid of the Internet.

So, what email address do you want to verify today?

Article source: Expert Articles