Identity of emailer.

[archeraddict]

I am trying to write a book and one of the characters is being threatened by email.

If someone bought a broadband PAYG dongle, how could they be traced? Does the PC or laptop have a trail itself?

Thanks.

[ll_billym]

Depends whether you mean their location traced or just that something was sent from a specific laptop/PC.

Depends on how 'tech savvy' the perpetrator is really, in theory if they were covering their tracks and were only connecting to the network for very brief periods of time then this is very difficult.

Any mobile (incl dongles) (2G/3G/4G) can be placed to within a couple of hundred meters (maybe even closer (50m) if there are lots of masts about), this is done using the signal strength from the operators mast to the device. This varies depending on the geographic topology and how many masts are around - the more masts and the better line of sight the more accurate the position.

If you have a PC in your possession and want to trace it to a person or activity then fingerprints on the keyboard and system generated log files regarding recent activities would do this for a careless criminal.

[ll_billym]

Just to clarify on locating using signal, you would need to know which specific dongle you are looking for first, this could be done by tying activity to times (very tough) or by trying to find out which specific person purchased a specific dongle (maybe CCTV in the shop). Again pretty tough.

There may be other ways than the above but I can't think of them, be interesting to see what others think!

[archeraddict]

Thanks for this. So if the bully was sitting in his car, using a laptop outside the victim's home, then it could only be traced according to location and so he would be virtually untraceable? Or do you mean that, if they tehn use the dongle again, from another location, then it would be possible for the police to be able to work out areas where the perpatrator is using it and 'close in' on him?

The laptop itself couldn't be identified I presume, just the dongle location?

On another point, the CCTV is a good point but, in reality, would the Police go to those lengths if the emails were threatening or unpleasant, but no harm came to the victim - I know that isn't really the same category, but interested to know.

Thanks for any clarification - I don't want to get the facts wrong.