Email/Mail harrassment

[vinjoeana]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? New York

My sister has been getting anonymous harrassing emails and mail. The person sending them is making it appear as if they are coming from my sister's business email address. They are sent to my sister's husband's phone but bounce back to the email (I think because you can't email to a phone). This person is making it look like my sister is sending them to her husband. The latest one says they hope he gets AIDS and dies. She has also gotten anonymous letters. She doesn't know for sure who it is but based on the IP address and past experience, she thinks it's her husband's ex-girlfriend (they were recently married). My sister has filed a police report but wants to know if there is anything else she can do, thinking that is is a federal offense since it involves the mail. The emails have been getting more frequent. Is there a way they can be traced to the source for possible criminal prosecution?

 

[HighwayMan]

My sister has been getting anonymous harrassing emails and mail. The person sending them is making it appear as if they are coming from my sister's business email address.

So how do you know they aren't?

They are sent to my sister's husband's phone but bounce back to the email (I think because you can't email to a phone).

This makes no sense. Firstly, yes you CAN send email to a phone. Secondly, What do you mean by bounce back to the email? If the email "bounces" it goes back to the sender - NOT someone else.

She doesn't know for sure who it is but based on the IP address and past experience, she thinks it's her husband's ex-girlfriend (they were recently married).

Huh? Her husband recently married his ex-girlfriend??

My sister has filed a police report

Okay, where is this, what police agency?

..thinking that is is a federal offense since it involves the mail.

Yes, contact your local postmaster or postal inspectors.

Is there a way they can be traced to the source for possible criminal
prosecution?

Often they can. It will likely involve a court order to an ISP for their records.

 

[vinjoeana]

I tried to keep it short and ended up confusing people. This person who sent the message was able to make it appear as if it came from my sister's email address so when it didn't go through to my brother-in-law's phone, it bounced back into the sender email account which is my sister's but she didn't send it. I checked with my IT dept and they said it is easy for someone to send an email making it look like it came from somewhere else. My sister has been married since January of this year. The person she thinks is the one doing it is her husband's ex-girlfriend.

 

[HighwayMan]

Okay well that makes things more clear.

Where in NY is this?