Is hacking into someones email illegal?

blue_monkey_2

Just as per the title really, someone has been reading emails that I have been sending to someone else so they are either hacking into their e-mail account/PC. They now know when my house is empty for holiday and all about my kids for example. Is this illegal?

Thanks

Ivrytwr3

this all depends ie is this happening at your work? In that case no it is not illegal. Is this happening at your home and someone is intercepting your emails, then possibly an offence, but much easier to block (change passwords etc) or contact your isp.

Need a little more info.

blue_monkey_2

It is at home - I work from home as well. I have a friend who I email, have known for a long time and we send emails to each other. Some have not been arriving as she has not answered them and she always answers - I just assumed she had been busy. Last night I got an email from her ex husband (Who I have never spoken to and do not know, it is just her that I know) telling me all sorts asking how the kids were, have a good holiday, etc... He included references to things that I had emailed her about but she had not replied to me about so I think he may be getting my emails but I only send them to her only. I know he had hacked into a previous account and she changed er details but now he has this one as well. I always email her using my personal address but this is the main address and is where I do most of my business from as I work from home.

He has called my house asking for me by name and when I say speaking puts the phone down. I sell on the internet and he bought something from me to get all of my details. I did not figure at first. It is kind of scaring me a little to be honest as I am not sure what I can do and it is making me nervous. I answered his email which came about midnight last night telling him that he is obviously reading emails not addressed to him and I would be going to the police as he has been reading information that was not addressed to him and his none of his business.

My friend emailed me this morning to say that he had texted her and that an email she had sent me had reached his as well 'by mistake' so he knew about this that and the other. The thing is, in the email he sent me he had references to a later email that I sent her a day or so ago so.

It would be too much disruption to change addresses as it would mean that I would lose customers who mail me through various tims of year, I don't have all their details to tell them as I have about 8,000 in total I guess.

I am getting a bit scared about it all to be honest, he seems like a bit of a fruitcake to be getting all my details, calling the house and emailing me. Their business is none of mine and I do not get involved at all, not even with comments about him, but he is getting personal emails with personal info on them that I am sending someone else. I was going to go to the police but I did not want them to think I was being stupid but at the end o the day he knows stuff about my kids and that worries me - why else would he be deleting emails that I am sending her when they are nothing about him and nothing to do with him. I am shaking while writing this email, I do not know what to do.

magyar

Ivrytwr3 wrote:

this all depends ie is this happening at your work? In that case no it is not illegal. Is this happening at your home and someone is intercepting your emails, then possibly an offence, but much easier to block (change passwords etc) or contact your isp.

Need a little more info.

Not completely true, Ivrytwr3. Companies have a right to 'look' at people's emails - in practice this usually means scanning them for spam and viruses. They have to clearly inform you of what they're doing and (crucially) put adequate protection in place so that your personal information is secure.

It's a very grey area, since there is overlap between many laws: some which protect the business's interest and some which protect the users.

In practice, the only people who should be able to look at your emails at work are your IT staff, and only then in the course of their work. They certainly can't just have a read for the fun of it.

Practically speaking though, changing your password is the easiest thing...

magyar

Blue_monkey, it sounds like there are bigger issues than the email here. However, I still don't see why you just don't change the password?

Ivrytwr3

this all depends ie is this happening at your work? In that case no it is not illegal.

Not completely true, Ivrytwr3.

I meant IT staff, but didn't want to go into too much detail without knowing the full facts.

Dan29

Surely the ex-husband is reading his ex-wife's e-mails by accessing her account, not hacking into blue_monkey's account? He just sounds like a nosy ex-husband, nothing for you to worry about, blue_monkey.

Can your friend change her e-mail address, or the password on her e-mail?

If I'm right about what's happening then your friend would have to go to the police, not you, but to be honest I don't think her ex-husband is actually doing anything illegal.

Anne_Marie_2

Sounds to me that this chap has hacked into your friend's account, rather than yours, so would advise her to take steps to increase her account security.

looks like Dan29 and I were posting at same time!

Dan29

An obvious thought while you're sorting this out: don't discuss it with your friend by e-mail as obviously they may not be private. If you want to speak to her about it maybe it would be better to 'phone or text?

I do think it's worth her following Anne_Marie's advice and increasing security, e.g. by changing the password on her e-mail and maybe putting one on her PC, and she should maybe consider getting a new e-mail address. Did her ex-husband set up her computer and/or e-mail originally?

blue_monkey_2

Yes, I advised her on doing this. I was not sure if I could do something as he was getting me invoved by emailing and calling me. I told him I was taking it to the police anyway so maybe he will take heed and stop it. Nosy - Froot Loop is more the word for it with the stuff he e-mailed me when it is not really my business. I am just nervous with him having so many details about me now I guess and wanted to find out if there was anything I could do about that. I did email my friend this morning and told her that he had been accessing her account and to call me and change her password - I do think it is this way around to be honest, I would not even know how to change my password as it comes into my Outlook Express, but whether she will get the email or not is another thing. I also told her I was going to the police with it so if he read the email he would know I was serious.

blue_monkey_2

Did her ex-husband set up her computer and/or e-mail originally?

No, this is what confuses me and this is why I thought he might be getting into mine but if I think about it I am sure it is not possible.

She set this up with a new account when it turned out he was accessing her first one, he has obviously guessed the passwork and is logging on that way.

Sorry I forgot to add a big THANKS to you all for helping me out on this.