Anyone know anything about the law with regards to email?

Question

I know someone who has used her ex boyfriend's email account to send emails to his friends/family, posing as him. He gave her his password willingly when they were together and hadn't changed it. She is really worried that he will find out it was her sending the emails, although I'm not sure what she actually sent. Is it possible for a basic user (not the police or anything as I'm sure they probably can) to trace the sending of emails back to her PC? And if he reported her to the police or something would they even bother with something petty like that? (This being the UK by the way)
I am thinking that she has nothing to worry about but would like reassurance. Thanks.
:)

Thank you I know what an IP address is. The point is that she was given the password! So she had access that was granted by him in the first place. She didn't hack it or anything and he didn't change the password.

Answer 1

Everything can be traced.....

The police wouldn't care unless the e-mail has something concerning the police , a threat , solution to provide World Peace etc... And besides the Webmail law that your friend agreed when making the e-mail account PRIMARILY stated that the password must not be shared , multiple person using the same dedicated e-mail address is a low level cyber crime.

Answer 2

IP is traceable. If you turn on Full Headers, you will know what IP the email came from. Which is the "Phone Number" or "Address" to an individual PC. Each PC has it's own distinct IP address.

Unless the ex b/f is a PC guru, he would not be able to tell where the email originated. Unless he asks someone (like you did).

Yes, if a complaint is filed with the Police, the Police WILL check into it.

The best thing for her to do, she should contact her ex b/f's family members she would like to stay in contact with and get permission to send them email using her own email address.

Answer 3

Don't try to justify or excuse her behavior. It doesn't matter that he gave her his password. She broke the law by what she did. The UK is more strict about that than is the U.S..

She probably has nothing to worry about. Sounds to me like he is a weenie and won't do anything.

I must have been the luckiest guy in the world. My wife and I have seperate computers and passwords. She never asks for mine, nor I hers. Even in the rough and bad times of our marriage she never did any kind of revenge behavior towards me.

This just goes to show how childish your friend is. You better be careful and not piss her off cause, she will then go after you. I would never trust a person like this. A person I can't trust doesn't become or remain a friend. I don't have many friends, but the ones I do have, I can trust with my life.

Answer 4

One thing to ALWAYS remember about the use of computers and the Internet, is that EVERYTHING is traceable.

The sooner people realize that is the case, maybe they won't be so inclined to try taking advantage of others that are online. Eventually, you will be caught.

But it all comes down to what was actually done, and more importantly, where it was done.

By that I mean, are there international concerns involved.

For instance, if she sent an email from her home in the USA, to a family member, who also leaves in the USA, but then that person forwards it to another person in another country; then that can become a red flag issue, and will certainly be scrutinized for reasons of National Security.

A good rule of thumb is to always assume that your emails, etc., are being monitored; and more importantly, that there is no such thing as a truly deleted file. Files are almost always able to be found, if you dig deep enough.

Answer 5

Yes, absolutely. Each computer sends an IP address which is exclusive to that PC. My suggestion is that she fess up to what she did and make her apologies before it all lands back in her lap.