VPN Detection — IP Address Check

A VPN creates an encrypted connection from a single device to a larger virtual private network, typically powered by one or more web servers. Traffic and internet browsing passed through the VPN encrypts data so that it cannot be intercepted by a government, an Internet Service Provider (ISP), or anyone else monitoring. This creates a more secure browsing environment while also preventing any websites from seeing browsing history from your actual IP address. It can also help separate a private IP address from exposure to the external network.

VPN networks are very popular among corporations and are usually the preferred way for employees to access corporate networks, due to security concerns. VPNs are growing in popularity for personal browsing as well as for individuals. Censorship and crackdowns in authoritarian countries have made it difficult for users to reach many popular websites, including Google. Tunneling traffic through a VPN IP address would allow an individual to bypass restrictions imposed by their government or ISP. In many setups, the VPN also sits between a private IP address and the public internet, which can make the source harder to identify.

Enable real-time IP fraud scoring on your site with the VPN detection API documentation. IPQS maintains the most accurate database of VPN providers, including new proxy servers and nodes that are added each day. By querying our API or processing a list of IP addresses, it's very easy to accurately check whether IP addresses belong to a VPN provider. The VPN IP address can also be analyzed for risk, location, behavior history, and similar data.

Yes and no: VPN IP addresses can be used for both good and bad actions. Examples of good actions would be accessing a corporate office network, anonymous web browsing, and protecting privacy online. However, since VPNs hide your real IP address and location, cybercriminals and bad actors often use these connections to engage in fraudulent activity, such as credit card chargebacks, creating fake accounts, generating click fraud, and similar behavior. Users abuse VPNs and proxy connections more often than they use them for legitimate purposes.