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Computer Law/Yahoo IM hacking

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Expert: - 10/17/2008


Question
QUESTION: I was seperated from my now ex husband in July/August of 2007. During this time I went out with a guy a couple of times and we continued to keep in contact via Yahoo's Instant Messenger. My ex hacked in somehow to my account and fowarded my conversations to another location and printed them out. He is now threatening to use this against me as I am taking him back to court for custody of our children. What route do I need to take to charge him with this.  At the time I was being asked to reset or password does not match when I tried to log onto my IM account. I now know it was because he was hacking into it and changing passwords/security questions. My big problem is that he is local law enforcement as well and I don't trust anyone much at this department. Thank you so much for your help. By the way this is in Tennessee.

Val

ANSWER: Hi Val,

I am sorry your having to go through all this, it is bad enough without someone hacking into your personal stuff.

You did not say what state you are in, but in almost every state I have ever been asked to check on, this is a crime. He can be charged with a crime and its an easy one to investigate. You need to contact the police department where you are living. If its in the same area where he lives you can contact the sheriff's office if he is a city cop and they should investigate it for you since it involves another police officer.

Time is important. The longer you wait to report it the less chance you have of the the Internet services keeping the records you need to prosecute this.

Let me know where you live so I can make some more direct suggestions. Thanks.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I now live in Ohio, it was done in and when I lived in Tennessee.  I have contacted the sheriffs office in TN, which is where my ex husband works and found out last night that some info that I gave them was divulged to him (my daughter told me) so I don't trust anyone there. What other avenue should I take? Do I call TBI or go to the City Police Dept. to report since my ex works for the County Sheriffs office?  I feel like because he is a cop I can't trust anyone local. Thank you so much for your quick response.  God bless.

Answer
Hi Val,

Report it to the TBI. You should be safe from them divulging anything. I would also file a complaint with the internal affairs division of the Sheriffs' Office for the information leak. And failure to keep the information on a complaint about a departmental member confidential.

Hope it works out for you.

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Chris Wagoner

Expertise

I can answer questions concerning Computer Crime Investigations and Internet investigations including Computer Crime Laws both at the State level and Federal level. I can answer questions on almost any crime in which a computer is used. In addition I can answer questions concerning copywrite infringement (peer to peer, and copying). I served as a police Commander and conducted and still conduct Computer Crime Investigations at the Local, State and Federal level. I have investigated all most any kind of crime with which or which involved a computer and the internet, from murders, kidnappings, extortion, drug dealing and more. I can answer questions concerning Computer Forensics (the art of recovering information from a suspects computer), Computer Crime Investigations and Internet Investigations. I am a Federally Court Recognized Expert in Computer Crime and Computer Forensics. I have worked in both Facebook and MySPace, also in Peer to Peer investigations. In addition I can answer questions concerning child predators and how to make your children safer on-line. I teach Computer Forensics, Internet Investigations, Peer to Peer Investigations and other computer crime related subjects for several colleges and the Institute of Police Technology and Management. My hobby webpage - Military Videos - http://www.youtube.com/user/3rdID8487

Experience

I conduct computer crime investigations in conjunction with the F.B.I., Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, Gainesville Police Department, and University of Florida Police Department, Levi County Sheriff’s Office, Starke Police Department and other agencies in the North Florida Court District. I provide the forensic data recovery services for those agencies as well as internet tracing and information gathering. I am a Federal Court Certified Expert in Computer Crime Investigations and Forensics. I teach Computer Forensics for the University of North Florida, Institute of Police Technology and Management. I also teach Computer Crime courses for Tallahassee Community College, Pat Thomas Law Enforcement Training Center. Associate Instructor; teach Computer Crime courses thorough out the world for IPTM. Presently Teach Cyber Crime Investigations, Computer Crime Investigations and Computer Forensic Data Recovery Course.

Education/Credentials
2 Degrees in Criminal Justice, now teach college level Data Forensics classes

Awards and Honors
Awarded the FBI Directors Award for assisting the FBI in a National Computer Crime Investigation. Awarded Dec 2002

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