emails

[nextqueen]

is it possible to find out the name of someone who owns an email address?

[Buenchico]

Almost certainly not. I've had hundreds of email accounts and none of them have required me to provide my (real) name. (Or, if they have, I've simply entered a false one anyway)

If the domain name (= the bit after the @ sign) is an email provider that anyone can use (e.g. gmail.com), then even that provider probably doesn't know the real name of the account holder.

If the domain name is that of an ISP (e.g. orange.co.uk) then the ISP will know the name of the person who registered that address, but (unless you work for the police or security services, and have a genuine need to know) they won't tell you.

If the domain name was actually registered by the person sending the email, then a search of the Nominet 'Whois' service (for addresses ending in 'uk' only) will show who owns that domain name:
http://www.nominet.org.uk/other/whois/
(However a non-trading individual can opt to keep their details hidden).
For non-UK domain names you might find the details here:
http://www.whois.net/

Chris

[grasscarp]

and that explains why it is so easy to send out scam emails.

[wildwood]

I don't understand grasscarp, why would Chris' info explain why it is so easy to send out scam emails. Am I missing something?

[grasscarp]

wildwood, all I meant was that if it was easy to trace who was sending an email there would not be so many scam emails in circulation.

[Old_Geezer]

I suspect that is untrue. Surely they will be sent by unwitting folk whose PCs have been infected to run e-mail sending applications ?

[squarebear]

While this is partly true, spammers usually register generic email address and blast their emails out using those addresses. As has been said, they are pretty much untraceable.

[grasscarp]

Old Geezer, I wasnt talking about the type of emails you refer to. I was thinking of the ones asking for your details because you have won a million pounds, or press this link to update your bank passwords etc

[wildwood]

Fair enough grasscarp.