🔍 What we mean by a “hosting system”
A hosting system (VPS, cloud server, data-centre host, or web host) is a remote machine you rent that sits on the internet. It has its own public IP address and can forward or relay traffic for other devices.
🛡️ Legitimate ways a host can hide a user’s IP
When traffic is sent through a hosted server, the destination sees the host’s IP, not the original device’s IP. Common legitimate examples:
VPN services run on hosted servers and encrypt/relay your traffic. The website sees the VPN server’s IP.
Proxies / SOCKS / HTTP proxies: a server forwards web requests so the origin IP is masked.
Corporate remote access (jump boxes): employees connect through a company server so external services see the company IP.
CDNs and reverse proxies: a website’s traffic is routed through content delivery or security layers, hiding origin server IPs (used to scale and protect sites).
⚠️ How people misuse hosting to “hide” their IP
Renting a VPS or cloud server and configuring it as a proxy/VPN to appear to come from that server’s location.
Using shared hosting or NATed (network-address-translated) hosts so individual device IPs are not visible.
Routing many accounts through the same hosted exit point to run multiple accounts or automation without revealing the real endpoint.
This is often done to bypass geographic restrictions, hide multiple-account activity, or avoid platform rules.
🔎 How platforms detect hosted/proxy traffic (high-level)
Fraud and security systems treat hosted IPs as higher risk and look for signals such as:
ASN / owner lookup: IP belongs to a data-centre or cloud provider (AWS, DigitalOcean, Hetzner, etc.) rather than a residential ISP.
Reverse DNS / PTR records: hostnames that reference “vps”, “server”, “cloud”, or known provider names.
IP reputation lists: repeated abuse or proxy/VPN flags on the IP.
Behavioral signals: many different accounts or unusual traffic patterns coming from the same IP.
Geo/inconsistency: IP location differs from device GPS, profile country, or time zone.
If multiple signals line up, the device/connection gets scored as risky.
✅ Legitimate uses vs misuse — why it matters
Legitimate uses: privacy on public Wi-Fi, corporate security, or accessing geo-restricted content you’re entitled to.
Misuse: evading bans, running multiple accounts, automated fraud — these harm platform fairness and lead to account blocks.
🛠️ What to tell users (support-friendly)
If you need a short message for users:
“Our system shows your connection coming via a hosted server or proxy (a cloud/VPS/data-centre IP). For security and fairness we require a direct connection from your personal network. Please disable any VPN/proxy or reconnect from your normal home/mobile internet and try again.”
⚠️ Important note (policy & safety)
Using hosted servers or proxies to evade bans or platform rules is misuse and can lead to permanent restrictions. Platforms are entitled to block such traffic to protect users and advertisers.