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IP address reveals home location - how to conceal?

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  • robt_2
    robt_2 Posts: 3,401 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    gingerscot wrote: »
    Just to clear something up and apologies if its already been mentioned.

    The msn/aim or messenger popup you got saying "do you want a date etc"? is just a computer bot. There are plently of software/websites out there how use a very simple bit of code to then find out where you are from down to a rough geopgraphic area but we are not talking house numbers here and as already mentioned depending on your provider the code may not work anyway.

    If you go on slightly more er...dodgy/less reliable sites you will often get these messenger popups often in the bottom right corner of the screen. They are all BOTS! They maybe rude or very suggestive but its not someone spying on you. Its a computer running 2 lines of code and filling in the blank (where you are from).

    Dave

    If by 'bot' you mean 'adserver checking roughly where your IP is from' then you are almost right.
  • Almost right will do:rolleyes:

    By "bot" I mean a non-human direct response :P Admitedly I don't know the finer details of how its done but its clear that some people believe that it is actually someone asking them for a date!
  • LizEstelle
    LizEstelle Posts: 1,559 Forumite
    Am I right in thinking that some websites can detect the use of proxy servers? I remember reading somewhere that the likes of Gumtree can make their bans pretty permanent.
  • patty65
    patty65 Posts: 83 Forumite
    You'd be surprised how many folks label their WiFi with their surname

    one of mine has named his with his address and it is not secure:eek:

    only problem is, his speed is rubbish compared to mine so I don't bother using it:rotfl:

    Patrick
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