FraudGuard.io offers an API toolbox so robust, it’s perfect for developers, businesses, and even the occasional overachiever obsessed with advanced threat management. But how do you know which one is right for you? Relax—we’ve got you covered with a breakdown of each API, sprinkled with a little humor to keep things interesting.

V1 API: The Gateway Drug

The V1 API is where it all started. It’s our oldest implementation, straightforward, and great for beginners. But let’s be honest—it’s a relic of a simpler time. It’s like eating leftovers from three days ago: it works, but do you really want it?

Why Use It?

  • Great for testing or building a proof-of-concept.
  • Provides basic IP reputation data (e.g., country, state, city, threat type, risk level).

Why You’ll Move On

  • Data is very limited—think “threats of yesteryear.”
  • Strict rate limits make scaling a challenge.
  • Support? What support? (Hint: Paid customers get priority).

Verdict: V1 is like a ride on a rusty bike. It’ll get you to your destination, but you’re going to want a car soon enough.

V2 API: The Upgrade You Deserve

Welcome to the big leagues. The V2 API is fast, accurate, and handles more data. Think of it as trading in that rusty bike for a shiny, reliable scooter—it’s not a sports car, but it gets the job done beautifully.

What It Does

  • Delivers updated IP reputation data, including location (lat/long, postal code, timezone), ISP, and ASN.
  • Fast and efficient: Built for real-time applications.
  • Scalable for higher traffic loads.

What It Doesn’t Do

  • No blacklists, whitelists, or geoblocking support.
  • Doesn’t track historical data or user-specific behaviors.

Verdict: Perfect for applications that need reliable, real-time IP threat detection without customization.

V3+ APIs: Advanced Threat Management

Ready to manage your traffic policies like a pro? FraudGuard’s V3–V5 APIs introduce advanced features like blacklists, whitelists, and geoblocking, so you can enforce custom rules with ease.

What They Offer

  • V3 by Threat: Adds threat-specific categorization (e.g., spam, botnets, honeypots).
  • V4: Includes context for custom blacklists and whitelists.
  • V5: Adds geoblocking for country-based access restrictions.
  • V5 by Threat: Combines all features with detailed threat categorization.

Who Should Use These?

  • Companies managing high traffic volumes or enforcing custom policies.
  • Developers looking to block, challenge, or allow traffic based on location or threat type.

Verdict: These APIs are like having a bouncer at your digital door—smart, tough, and tailored to your needs.

Bulk IP Lookup: The Time-Saver

Tired of querying one IP at a time? Enter the Bulk IP Lookup API, designed for batch processing large datasets.

Why Use It?

  • Quickly analyze logs or datasets for malicious IPs.
  • Ideal for teams dealing with high traffic or conducting threat audits.

Verdict: If handling large-scale data is your game, this API is your MVP.

Custom Blacklists and Whitelists: Your Traffic, Your Rules

Need complete control over what’s allowed or blocked? FraudGuard’s custom blacklist and whitelist APIs let you dynamically manage trusted and malicious IPs.

Features

  • Add/Remove Blacklist/Whitelist: Dynamically update your rules.
  • Get Blacklist/Whitelist: Review your current policies.

Pro Tip

Combine these with V5 APIs to enforce geoblocking while ensuring your trusted IPs always have access.

Verdict: Your go-to solution for keeping the good guys in and the bad guys out.

Hidden Gems: The Specialist APIs You Didn’t Know You Needed

FraudGuard.io’s API lineup includes some lesser-known heroes—tools that might not grab headlines but can solve very specific problems for your app or business. Let’s shine a spotlight on a few of these specialized APIs.

IP History API (v1): Recent Activity at a Glance

The IP History API (v1) is like a security logbook, giving you a snapshot of the most recent IP addresses associated with specific risks or lists. Instead of diving into the entire history of an IP, this API focuses on providing actionable, up-to-date data tailored to your threat management needs.

What It Does

  • Returns the last 1,000 IP addresses associated with a specific risk level (2–5) or type (geoblock, whitelist, or blacklist).
  • Tailored to your account, showing data relevant to your authenticated user settings.

Why Use It?

  • Quickly identify recent threats or trusted IPs tied to your account.
  • Ideal for monitoring evolving risks and ensuring your blacklist, whitelist, and geoblocking settings are performing as expected.

Who It’s For

  • System Administrators: Use this API to audit recent traffic decisions and adjust your security policies.
  • Threat Analysts: Track recurring malicious IPs or confirm that trusted IPs remain unaffected.

Verdict: This API keeps you updated on the most recent IP activity tied to your risk settings, ensuring you stay one step ahead of potential threats.

Custom Geoblock API: Location, Location, Restriction

Tired of bad requests from specific countries? The Custom Geoblock API lets you see (and manage) your geoblocking settings with precision.

What It Does

  • Retrieves your geoblocking rules, showing which regions are blocked.

Why Use It?

  • Monitor and adjust geoblocking policies without digging through your settings manually.
  • Essential for compliance with regional regulations or targeted threat management.

Verdict: Think of it as a no-fly list for countries, with you as the air traffic controller.

Hostname Reputation API (v2): What’s in a Name?

The Hostname Reputation API answers the age-old question: “Can I trust this domain?” By analyzing hostnames instead of IPs, it provides a domain-centric perspective on risk.

What It Does

  • Evaluates the reputation of specific hostnames.
  • Includes geographic, ISP, and organizational details about the domain.

Why Use It?

  • Perfect for applications that focus on domain-level threats, like phishing or DNS abuse.
  • Adds depth to your threat analysis by linking domains to their broader network context.

Verdict: If your enemies hide behind clever domain names, this API is your secret weapon.

Geographic, ISP, and Organizational Lookup (v2): The Who’s Who of IPs

Sometimes you don’t need the full threat picture—just a quick background check. This API specializes in providing non-reputation data about an IP, like its geographic location and ISP details.

What It Does

  • Delivers location data (postal code, latitude, longitude, timezone).
  • Includes ISP, ASN, and organizational details for the IP.

Why Use It?

  • Ideal for applications that don’t need reputation data but still require accurate IP context.
  • Saves time and resources by narrowing the scope of your query.

Verdict: Think of this API as a background check for IPs—straightforward, fast, and detailed.

User History APIs: Big Brother (But Nice)

FraudGuard’s User History APIs track user login behavior, helping you spot suspicious patterns.

Top Features

  • Monitor login locations and timestamps.
  • Detect anomalies (e.g., a user suddenly logging in from two countries at once).

Why Use It?

  • Perfect for e-commerce, SaaS, or apps managing sensitive user accounts.

Verdict: A must-have for anyone serious about account security.

Rate Limit APIs: Controlling the Flow of Traffic

FraudGuard.io’s Rate Limit APIs give you the power to manage traffic and enforce limits across any application. From blocking abuse to optimizing performance, these APIs adapt to any use case where controlling the flow of requests matters.

What They Do

  • Monitor Request Rates: Track how often users interact with your application.
  • Enforce Limits: Automatically flag, throttle, block, or override IPs that exceed thresholds.
  • Protect Resources: Prevent excessive or abusive traffic from affecting performance.

Why Use Them?

  • Stop Abuse: Block bots, brute force attempts, and spam at the source.
  • Optimize Performance: Free up resources by throttling overactive users.
  • Ensure Fairness: Guarantee consistent access for legitimate users.

Top Use Cases

  1. API Management: Enforce usage policies and stop overuse.
  2. Login Security: Limit login attempts to prevent brute force attacks.
  3. Content Delivery: Rate-limit access to premium resources.
  4. Traffic Control: Handle surges gracefully without downtime.

Verdict

At FraudGuard.io, we rely on our own Rate Limit APIs to protect resources, maintain peak performance, and prevent abuse. Whether managing our APIs, securing access points, or handling traffic spikes, these tools empower us to stay in control—and they can do the same for you.

ThreatWatch API: Proactive Monitoring

The ThreatWatch API is FraudGuard’s newest innovation. Think of it as a digital security camera, alerting you to unusual activity in real time.

Why It’s Great

  • Customizable monitoring for specific IPs or ranges.
  • Alerts and recommendations tailored to your security needs.

Verdict: Ideal for businesses that want proactive threat detection and real-time alerts.

Raw List APIs: Enterprise-Only Power

The Raw List APIs are for enterprise customers who want access to FraudGuard’s attack correlation engine without sharing their own data. It’s like getting the secret sauce without giving up your recipe.

What They Do

  • Provide raw access to FraudGuard’s attack correlation engine.
  • Enable integration into your own internal systems without ever needing to send data back to FraudGuard.

Why Use Them?

  • You value data privacy and want to process threat data internally.
  • You’re running custom-built security systems that need raw threat intelligence.

Verdict: If you’re serious about privacy and scalability, these APIs are the ultimate power move.

Final Thoughts

FraudGuard.io offers a diverse API suite to fit every use case, from small-scale projects to enterprise-grade security. Whether you’re just starting with V1 or diving deep with the Raw List APIs, there’s a solution for you.

💡 Need help deciding? Reach out to us or explore our documentation. Ready to level up? Check out our plans and pricing today!