Instead of guessing, there are proven tactics to find out exactly who’s behind that mysterious email address.
No matter if you’re looking to verify whether it’s legit or you’re just curious, we’ve got the tricks to see the person or company hiding behind that inbox.
Ready to dig in? Let’s find out who really owns that email:
Why do people need to find out who owns an email address?
People often want to find out who owns an email address for many reasons.
To verify if an email is legitimate or spam
You’ve probably received an email that seemed suspicious – it’s not that uncommon after all. In 2023, nearly 46% of all e-mails worldwide were identified as spam. It could be a strange offer or a request from someone pretending to be a friend.
In this case, checking the email’s ownership is essential to confirm if it’s genuine or a scam. Thanks to verifying who’s behind it, you can avoid falling into phishing traps or fraud schemes.
Check this out: how to get rid of unwanted spam
For business purposes
In sales, networking, or recruitment, knowing the person or company behind a professional email address is incredibly useful. Sometimes, you receive a message from a potential client, partner, or job candidate, but they don’t share enough contact details.
Figuring out who owns the email can help you gather more information about their role, company, or location. This knowledge allows you to approach the conversation with more confidence and better context, potentially leading to stronger professional relationships.
Check this out: a guide to follow-up sales emails
Tracking down old friends or colleagues
Once in a while, you might receive an email from someone you haven’t been in touch with for years. It could be an old friend, a colleague, or even a classmate. But how can you be sure?
Verifying the email owner helps you confirm their identity before reconnecting. A few clicks through an email search tool or public records can often help you find their social media accounts or updated contact info, making it easier to rekindle that relationship.
For security reasons
Suspicious emails or unexpected attempts to log into your accounts might make you want to check the sender’s details. If you think someone’s trying to access your personal or business data, tracing the email could be a good first step.
Check this out: 8 email security best practices
To find updated contact info
Oftentimes, you’re working with an outdated email address, and that’s all you have. Maybe it’s from an old client, a colleague, or even a business lead.
If they haven’t responded, checking who owns the email might lead you to update contact details, such as a new email or social media profile.
How to find an email address owner? Top ways explained
There are several ways to go about it, depending on what tools you have on hand.
Here are the top methods:
1. Do an email search on Google
The easiest method to find an email address is by typing it straight into the Google search bar. You’d be surprised at how much information might pop up. Especially if the owner has used that email for social media accounts, public profiles, or even professional email addresses.
Expert advice: Try quotes around the email to narrow down results.
2. Check social media platforms
Many people use the same email address across different social media accounts (which, by the way, isn’t the best idea). If you have the email, try plugging it into the search function of popular platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn. You might just find the person you’re looking for.
Expert advice: Check LinkedIn for professional email addresses.
3. Try an email lookup tool
There are plenty of reverse email lookup services that can help you dig into the details of an email address. These tools search through public databases, so you can often find out who the email belongs to with just a few clicks.
Expert advice: Stick to trusted lookup services for accurate results.
4. Look at the email header
If you’re a little more tech-savvy, you can dig into the email header. This contains hidden information like the IP address, which can sometimes help you track down the sender’s general location.
It’s a bit more technical, but it’s a useful option if other methods don’t work.
Expert advice: Use an IP tracing tool to track location.
Read more on email headers here
5. Ask around
If the email looks professional, try reaching out to your network. Chances are, someone might recognize the email or know the person behind it, especially if it’s from a work domain.
Expert advice: Tap into LinkedIn connections if it’s a business email.
6. Use public records
There are websites that pull from public records to help you identify who might be behind an email. These databases can include information like current and past locations, phone numbers, and other contact details, so it’s easier to track down who you’re dealing with.
Expert advice: Many of these services come at a cost, so check the reputation of the site.
7. CRM auto enrichment tools
If you’re working in sales or business, you might already have access to CRM auto-enrichment tools. These solutions automatically gather data from various sources to fill in details about professional email addresses.
With just an email, they can give you information about the person’s job title, company, and other useful contact info.
Expert advice: Use this when dealing with multiple leads for efficiency.
8. Try searching through an email directory
There are online directories dedicated to finding people by their email addresses. These directories collect data from various sources, including social media platforms, public forums, and even business listings.
Expert advice: Cross-reference with other methods to confirm accuracy.
9. Look for IP address tracing tools
If you want to go a bit deeper, you can trace the sender’s IP address using specialized tools. The IP address, found in the email header, can help you find the general location of the email sender.
While it won’t give you a name directly, it might narrow things down.
Expert advice: This works better if you’re familiar with networking tools.
👉 Read more: Does This Email Exist? Here Is How To Find Out.
10. Ask directly
If all else fails, sometimes the simplest method is to just respond to the email and ask who’s behind it. Whether it’s a Gmail account or a professional address, a polite inquiry can often clear things up quickly.
Expert advice: Keep your inquiry professional and polite for the best response.
Is it legal to find out who owns an email address?
Yes, it’s generally legal to find out who owns an email address, as long as you’re using publicly available information and not engaging in illegal activities like hacking.
Checking email address owners through tools like Google searches, social media, or public records is fine.
However, be careful not to misuse any private data you uncover, as privacy laws vary by country. Always respect the privacy and rights of others when doing this kind of search.
Check this out: the marketer’s guide to email compliance and the ultimate guide to the privacy policy shield in the EU and USA
Bonus: company data enrichment with Bouncer – how does it work?
To find out who owns an email address, you can also use data enrichment tools like Bouncer’s service.
Bouncer verifies emails and enriches them with company data.
This includes:
- company name,
- country,
- LinkedIn profile,
- industry, and more.
All so you can improve your email marketing efforts.
It’s especially useful when working with professional email addresses. The process is straightforward and doesn’t charge users if no match is found.
Check out how it works in this video:
You can find out more about our data enrichment services here.
That’s not everything we do, though…
At Bouncer, we go beyond email verification to help you maximize the quality of your email lists and boost your deliverability.
- With tools like our Toxicity Check, you can filter out harmful or risky email addresses, like spam traps or addresses tied to complaints.
- Our Deliverability Kit makes your emails land in inboxes by testing authentication and monitoring blocklists.
- We also provide integrations with top marketing platforms, so you can stay connected and grow your business.
Sign up for a free trial and find the owners of any email address (and more) today.
