Can someone stalk you through AIM or get your IP address by IMing you?

On one of my computers i signed into AIM and someone IMed me and i didn't know them so i kinda ignored until they bugged me and i asked wut. I know i should've let it go but i didn't. So i signed in with a different screen name and a dif. screen name started doing the same things. And it couldn't have been one of my freinds because i used an unknown screen name, and they knew my name and wut was going on in my life. I feel like im being stalked.

Can someone stalk you through AIM or get your IP address by IMing you?
I would guess that it is probably one of your friends. The answer to your question though is yes. When you IM someone, you open a "window" to that persons computer. I do not personally consider my self a hacker, but I would know how to do this. Getting your IP address would be the first step. A hacker could further use that information to attack your computer, and retrieve information. Although IMing is normally a Person-Server-Person service, the server always contains obvious information about the other persons computer.





If somehow this person were to retrieve your screenname via one of your friends friends list, then they could IM you. After they IM'ed you, they could retrieve a cache of screennames you have used to log in to AIM, and when you logged on with that screenname, they could use a linked screenname to talk to you.





My advice would be to get a free firewall, and anti-virus if you don't have one already. And don't use Windows Firewall, it is very weak. Firewalls and Anti-Viruses can be fould in my source list.





-In case you didn't know-


Linked Screenname- When two screennames are "linked" a person can log on to both at the same time





Cache-a collection of data duplicating original values stored elsewhere or computed earlier
Reply:ya


people can definately stalk you, they can also find out where you live and stuff...


um thats kinda scary and i dont really know how to block.


i'm sure there are sites


I know you can change your settings in AIM by making it so that no one can see that your online except for those people who are on your buddy list


pref-privacy-who can contact me- only those on my buddy list.


That may help if not look on google and see if you can get a program to block people from looking at your conversations or whatever... viruses maybe... put up a firewall....
Reply:naw you arent getting stalked, you should ask your friends if they gave your address to someone
Reply:No there isnt a way to get the IP from AIM or other messengers...when you use them your not directly connecting with other people's computers...your connecting with AOL's Server... They could hack in and find peoples IP's but the chance of of finding the person's IP your IM'ing is one in a million lol


*later thoughts*


If they got your IP from AOL's Server then i think they could figure out if you make a new screen name... It pretty much depends on how much they know and how skilled they are at Hacking
Reply:Cant give you any tech advice BUT everyone has a particular way of speaking/writing that would be easy to pick up on by someone so interested in you ...try changing your screen name maybe to something totally out of character for you AND change your way of speaking/writing.....hope this works for you!
Reply:Most IM services are PSP services, that is they connect You %26gt; Server %26gt; them.


Unless you have used a P2P (peer to peer) Instant messenger or download program, it shouldn't be possible to find your IP.