Proxy Detection API for Fraud Prevention

Proxies and VPNs are a common tool for fraudsters to conceal their real identities, but they are also frequently used for legitimate purposes, like avoiding geographic restrictions or to access services that are otherwise unavailable. With this in mind, it’s essential for developers to have access to reliable proxy detection tools that can help them identify risky activity on their platform or website.

Using a combination of Proxy Detection API for Fraud Prevention and device fingerprinting, the ipXapi platform is able to reliably identify users connecting via proxies, VPNs or other anonymizing technologies. Having the ability to run a proxy check at critical points of user interactions (sign-up, login, checkout) can significantly reduce losses and fraud, protect legitimate customers and maintain platform integrity.

Free IP Lookup Tools to Detect Proxy and VPN Users

The simplest way to detect a proxy is by looking at the connection speed and latency. For example, if a web page is loading slowly or not responding at all it’s a sign that the user is using a proxy. Another method is to perform a ping test and look for a high latency response. The higher the latency, the more likely it is that the user is using a proxy.

For more complex connections, a proxy detection tool can also look at the operating system advertised in the browser’s User-Agent and compare it against known proxy open ports. For instance, if the User-Agent states that the browser is running on Windows, but the IP address shows that it’s connecting from port 22 — a common port for hacked SSH connections — it may be an indicator of a proxy.