Stolen Computer
May 6, 2008 4:47 PM Subscribe
My friend's computer was recently stolen.... help me get it back!
My friend's (newer) Dell desktop was recently stolen out of her apartment. I am her computer-go-to guy. I installed MSN Messenger so that it starts up and logs in automatically when the computer is booted.
My question is: Is there any way to get an IP address using Messenger when I see that the machine is online? Or any other way of tracing the IP? Soulseek is also installed and auto-starts when the computer is booted.
Of course, I had my friend change all of her passwords to all online accounts and services that she uses.
If nothing else, I may just IM and try to scare the new owner into thinking that I have traced their IP and to return the machine or else I will report his IP to the police, but that may not work.
So Hive-mind, what can I do?
My friend's (newer) Dell desktop was recently stolen out of her apartment. I am her computer-go-to guy. I installed MSN Messenger so that it starts up and logs in automatically when the computer is booted.
My question is: Is there any way to get an IP address using Messenger when I see that the machine is online? Or any other way of tracing the IP? Soulseek is also installed and auto-starts when the computer is booted.
Of course, I had my friend change all of her passwords to all online accounts and services that she uses.
If nothing else, I may just IM and try to scare the new owner into thinking that I have traced their IP and to return the machine or else I will report his IP to the police, but that may not work.
So Hive-mind, what can I do?
Well, first be realistic. Do you think he's going to get scared enough to actually give back the laptop (thus setting himself up for an ambush by the police or your crew), or just try to fence it that much quicker?
With Soulseek, you might have luck searching for a file you know to exist on her computer (should be obvious via username), starting a download, then using netstat to see the active connection. This will get you an IP, but it's pretty optimistic that you could do anything with this information.
posted by 0xFCAF at 5:10 PM on May 6, 2008
With Soulseek, you might have luck searching for a file you know to exist on her computer (should be obvious via username), starting a download, then using netstat to see the active connection. This will get you an IP, but it's pretty optimistic that you could do anything with this information.
posted by 0xFCAF at 5:10 PM on May 6, 2008
"This will get you an IP, but it's pretty optimistic that you could do anything with this information."
If the crook was dumb enough to use the laptop from his own home, then it's not optimistic at all, it's very easy. Of course, if he has any sense, the first time he booted the PC he did it far, far away from any network connections, or he did it somewhere with free, relatively untraceable wi-fi.
Nevertheless, criminals are criminals because they're dumb... so making some stupid mistake is not unlikely.
File the police report, help the police in any way they'll let you.
posted by toomuchpete at 6:00 PM on May 6, 2008
If the crook was dumb enough to use the laptop from his own home, then it's not optimistic at all, it's very easy. Of course, if he has any sense, the first time he booted the PC he did it far, far away from any network connections, or he did it somewhere with free, relatively untraceable wi-fi.
Nevertheless, criminals are criminals because they're dumb... so making some stupid mistake is not unlikely.
File the police report, help the police in any way they'll let you.
posted by toomuchpete at 6:00 PM on May 6, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
Including the MSN password?
If the machine does log on to MSN, then MSN could give the IP address to the police if the police request it. If the police are actually interested in requesting it, then you could probably help the process by telling them when you saw the machine was online.
posted by winston at 5:08 PM on May 6, 2008