I was under the impression that gmail was pretty safe. Do you guys know how this could have happened? I guess you havent’t heard of the China-Google affair? Google is working on gmail security right now. It’s a simple but sad part of internet life; there will always be more security, and there will always be advancing hackers. As for how his account was hacked, only heaven knows that one. There are so many possibilities. I suspect this might have been what happened, but there is no guarantee. The good news? Gmail is still one of the most secure web-based emails out there. What should he (and everyone he’s ever emailed) be doing to keep their stuff safe? This article has some good tips, as does this blog. Also change passwords for every email account at least once a month from now on. But remember there is no 100% way to guard a gmail account from hackers. Also, we have the IP address of the kid who’s doing this. Is there any legal action that can be taken? An IP address can give you roughly the city, but not much after that. But, you might try blocking the IP address in gmail or via modem (if your friend and his friends use broadband). However, you might try hiring a private detective. If enough evidence can be collected, than Internet privacy laws should be in your favor.