Expert: Chris Wagoner - 1/9/2012

Question
Can I press charges against someone who has sent me several harassing emails, has also sent slanderous Facebook messages about me to several of my family members, and I think has also hacked into my personal email account? I am working with my provider to research the hacking. Numerous emails were deleted, and a particular folder that I believe this person was looking for was deleted completely. I do not know if this person forwarded messages out of my account or saved them to their computer or even printed them. Thankfully, I was able to have my account restored, and I have tightened all of my security settings. I feel completely violated and harassed by this person. They have obtained very personal messages and pictures, and I fear that they will be posted on the internet or sent to others. Is what this person is doing a crime? How can I protect myself? I am in Illinois, and the person who is harassing me and I believe hacked into my account is in California.

Answer
HI Lucy,

What you describe is against the law under CT law:

Sec. 53-451
Computer Crimes

(a) Definitions. As used in sections 53-451 to 53-453, inclusive, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(14) A person is "without authority" when such person (A) has no right or permission of the owner to use a computer or such person uses a computer in a manner exceeding such right or permission, or (B) uses a computer, a computer network or the computer services of an electronic mail service provider to transmit unsolicited bulk electronic mail in contravention of the authority granted by or in violation of the policies set by the electronic mail service provider. Transmission of electronic mail from an organization to its members shall not be deemed to be unsolicited bulk electronic mail.

(b) Unauthorized use of a computer or computer network. It shall be unlawful for any person to use a computer or computer network without authority and with the intent to:

    (1) Temporarily or permanently remove, halt or otherwise disable any computer data, computer programs or computer software from a computer or computer network;

    (2) Cause a computer to malfunction, regardless of how long the malfunction persists;

    (3) Alter or erase any computer data, computer programs or computer software;

    (4) Effect the creation or alteration of a financial instrument or of an electronic transfer of funds;

    (5) Cause physical injury to the property of another;

    (6) Make or cause to be made an unauthorized copy, in any form, including, but not limited to, any printed or electronic form of computer data, computer programs or computer software residing in, communicated by or produced by a computer or computer network; or

    (7) Falsify or forge electronic mail transmission information or other routing information in any manner in connection with the transmission of unsolicited bulk electronic mail through or into the computer network of an electronic mail service provider or its subscribers.

And you have some really good computer crime investigators in CT. I have taught computer crime classes at the CT state academy several times over the years. Call your local police to report this, they will be able to take it from there. These types of cases are easy.