Spam & Network Abuse Reporting

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Welcome to the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN)

You may be here to answer one of the following questions:

  • Is ARIN spamming me or abusing my network?
  • Can ARIN stop an organization from spamming me or abusing my network?
  • Can ARIN remove a web page or content from the Internet?

The answer to each of these questions is no, but we may be able to direct you to some helpful resources to combat network spam, abuse, and fraud.

ARIN is …

ARIN is the nonprofit corporation responsible for allocating IP addresses and Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs) to Canada, many Caribbean and North Atlantic islands, and the United States. Collectively these are known as Internet number resources. ARIN is one of five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) worldwide that provide Internet number resource services.

ARIN is NOT …

  • Engaged in any spamming, phishing, fraud, hacking, or identity theft
  • Operating the networks registered in ARIN’s public Whois service
  • Able to investigate or stop unwanted network activity
  • A law enforcement organization

What do I do about online threats to my person or my business?

If you are experiencing personal threats online, please contact your local law enforcement authorities as appropriate. If you are experiencing activity that is damaging to your business online, please explore your options, up to and including seeking legal advice.

ARIN often receives inquiries from individuals and organizations who believe ARIN has some enforcement authority over the use of IP address space by other organizations. This is not true; ARIN simply manages the distribution of IP address space to Internet service providers and enterprises on the Internet, and keeps track of registration rights for those organizations in ARIN’s Whois service. ARIN does not police how those IP addresses are used by organizations.

How is ARIN associated with my network or that of my spammer/hacker?

In the process of researching a spammer/hacker you may connect that user or organization to ARIN, as the registry for the IP address(es) or ASN(s) being used for spamming/hacking. Any spammer/hacker that is using IP addresses or ASN(s) that were issued by ARIN can be tracked back to our registry database.

Where can I find more information about my spammer/hacker?

In addition to allocating Internet number resources, ARIN keeps a comprehensive database of all organizations that receive IP address or ASN allocations or assignments, as well as Point of Contact records (POCs), and customer information for IP address reassignments. This database is searchable using ARIN’s Whois service, which you may search at any time using the search box atop every arin.net page, and may be a good starting point when researching where fraudulent activity is originating.

For a better understanding of how ARIN’s Whois service works, what information it contains, and how to customize your searches, view the Quick Guide to ARIN’s Whois.

I can’t find the IP address I’m looking for in the ARIN Whois database.

You may wish to review the Whois databases for the other four regional registries:

What if the contact information listed in Whois is out of date or incorrect?

If you discover an out-of-date or incorrect Whois record, please report the inaccuracy using our online form for reporting inaccuracies. Please be sure to include the record in question, and why you believe it is incorrect.

We will investigate, and work to get updated information from the responsible organization. If we can’t get updated information, we will mark the results in Whois accordingly.

Helpful Resources for Victims of Spamming/Hacking/Fraud

Reference

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