Email Tracing?

[Prime Muscle]

Is it possible to trace emails if the email user is using yahoo mail?

[Prime Muscle]

I mean, can the cops or feds go through yahoo and find out who I am if they wanted to bust me for escorting?

[+ honcho]

Yahoo is no worse than any other email provider; but the sad answer is yes - if Yahoo is presented with a subpoena it will probably eventually complay. Various ISP's fought the Record companies vigorously when lawsuits were brought against individual file-sharers,

but a federal judge ruled they had to cave in.

 

If you wanted to shield yourself using 5th amendment rights, I'd suggest getting a fixed IP address and setting up your own mail server in your house, but even that may not work as some folks suspected of trading child porn have had their computers seized.

 

Myself, I don't trade copyrighted material nor child porn, and I'm not a lawyer. Anybody know of any anonymizing services?

[Guest mbarz]

Hey Bobby, can't answer your question, but I thought you retired from escorting, are you coming back?

[+ deej]

Yes, but not easily.

 

Note that creating a Yahoo! email account requires only a first name and last name and a few other demographic details, all of which can be fabricated. I'll bet there are more than a few accounts created by "Hawkeye Pierce" or "James Bond". No proof of identity is ever required. Yahoo! does not know who you are. (This does not apply to Yahoo's partners such as SBC who most certainly know who you are.)

 

They'd need the Yahoo! server logs showing account activity, with IP corroboration against your ISP. That would require a subpoena to your ISP. This analysis is heavy lifting detective work and requires expertise not typically found on police forces.

 

Someone would have to really want you, but the only way to stay completely anonymous on the internet is to never connect.

[HardnThick]

And yet, since each and every computer connected to the Internet has a unique number assigned, email CAN be traced back. Somebody mentioned “anonymizer” sites. Anybody know if they are foolproof?

[+ deej]

>Anybody know if they are foolproof?

 

Absolutely not. They add another layer of difficulty chasing down the sender, but it's still possible.

 

It is always possible to trace emails. It isn't always easy, which is one reason SPAM is such a big problem.

[twinkboylover28]

They can't trace you if you pay cash and use an internet cafe?

[whipped guy]

If there is suddenly increased activity at Starbucks, Panera, Borders, and Barnes & Nobel etc... we'll all know why!!:-)

[+ deej]

>They can't trace you if you pay cash and use an internet

>cafe?

 

Trace YOU or your PC?

 

If you're at an internet Cafe, what email address are you using? Where are you getting that from?

[Steven_Draker]

>They can't trace you if you pay cash and use an internet cafe?

 

On my last trip to Rome, I was asked to show my ID at a local Internet cafe in order to have access to a computer. Since I rarely carry my passport with me, I was turned away.

 

Steven Draker ~

[+ deej]

>On my last trip to Rome, I was asked to show my ID at a local

>Internet cafe in order to have access to a computer. Since I

>rarely carry my passport with me, I was turned away.

 

There's no consistency at all in the US. At most public libraries they have terminals available for free, if you can get on 'em. (They're busy!) Just sit down and go.

 

Coffee shops vary. Some just set up a WAP and leave it wide open. Sit down with your WiFi-enabled device and you're on the air. Others (Starbucks) partner with a carrier (such as Sprint) and you have to buy time from the carrier.

 

There are several places where entire cities are installing "free" (paid for by taxpayers) WiFi city-wide.

 

The security/privacy/accountability aspects of all this haven't been completely resolved yet. Who is responsible for a crime committed online from an anonymous laptop connected via WiFi inside Yosemite National Park? (Yes, there are a couple of hotspots there BooBoo.)

 

It's a sticky wicket.

[Guest]

>>They can't trace you if you pay cash and use an internet

>cafe?

>

>On my last trip to Rome, I was asked to show my ID at a local

>Internet cafe in order to have access to a computer. Since I

>rarely carry my passport with me, I was turned away.

>

I've traveled six continents, and have never been asked for an ID at an internet cafe. It's probably still pretty rare, worldwide (well, maybe in the People's Republic of China or Iran or something).

[Guest]

>>They can't trace you if you pay cash and use an internet

>cafe?

>

>On my last trip to Rome, I was asked to show my ID at a local

>Internet cafe in order to have access to a computer. Since I

>rarely carry my passport with me, I was turned away.

>

I've traveled six continents, and have never been asked for an ID at an internet cafe. It's probably still pretty rare, worldwide (well, maybe in the People's Republic of China or Iran or something).

[Traznj]

You may want to check out Spamcop.com. The service is free for those that want to fight spam and it has tons of information on tracking original email address's.

 

P.S. It really works.

[Prime Muscle]

Hey all

Thanks for the info on email tracing. And MBARZ - yeah I am keeping a low profile here -- had some troubles with a client that started to stalk and blackmail. I still see regular clients here in KC and in Chicago.