If you use a web-based email address—like the wonderful Jabble.com—and enter fictional personal details, it is extremely hard. I believe that if someone with authority (like the police or Interpol) is involved, they can get your IP address from the email provider and your real address from your ISP (who know which person has each IP address).

Let me clarify the previous answer: " I believe that if someone with authority (like the police or Interpol) is involved, they can get your IP address from the email provider and [from that IP address, the name of ISP, then] your real address from your ISP (who know which person has each IP address) [they know who has each "Dynamic IP adders" during each login]." So go to a "HOTSPOT". You can find them by 2 methods: 1. Go to an Internet Cafe that provides "Wireless Internet access" to its customers. 2. Drive around in affluent suburbs with a laptop, looking for DSL connections with Wireless Routers, who's owners did not change the default passwords. When you logon for free, the system assigns you a Dynamic IP address, not connected to your real name or address, but to the serial no. of your wireless network card. Method 1 is seen on cop shows, when they say "Sorry boss. The trace ended It came from an "Internet Cafe.". They seem to not know about the serial no. of the criminal's wireless network card or the police asked them to keep it quiet. You think Method 2 will allow you get back at any enemies you might have. Drive by there house and look for a Hotspot with default passwords. e-mail your ransom note and have the police trace IP addresses to them. Or e-mail your request for more of those SPECIAL pictures, and have that Judge or that pesky priest charged with child pornography. But what about the serial no. of your wireless network card. Even when not committing a crime, also be ware of Spy-ware and Third Party Net-beacons used by some "Free e-mail suppliers" like Yahoo. Yahoo proves there is no such thing as "FREE e-mail" They admit it and offer "suggest" ways to prevent spyware, but read closely at: <a href="http://privacy.yahoo.com/privacy/us/pixels/details.html" target="_blank">http://privacy.yahoo.com/privacy/us/pixels/details.html</a> "Web Beacons Web pages may contain an electronic file called a web beacon, that allows a web site to count users who have visited that page or to access certain cookies. Yahoo! uses web beacons in the following ways: Within the Yahoo! Network * Yahoo! uses web beacons within the Yahoo! network of web sites in order to count users and to recognize users by accessing Yahoo! cookies. * Being able to access Yahoo! cookies allows us to personalize your experience when you visit Yahoo! web sites that are located both on and off of the yahoo.com domain. For example, Yahoo! GeoCities pages are mostly located on the geocities.com domain. [Like YAHOO's Compose Mail, or Send Mail, as can all GeoCities pages and Any websites you visit.] ... HTML Mail * Yahoo!'s practice is to include web beacons in HTML-formatted email messages (messages that include graphics) that Yahoo!, or its agents, sends in order to determine which email messages were opened and to note whether a message was acted upon. " So when the police open your ransom note or pornography request, you think the spyware sent by Yahoo will only look at the police computer's cookies "in order to determine which email messages were opened" True, but if Yahoo want to know which e-mails you opened, they would also like to know what e-mail you sent that were not opened, or ALL the e-mails you sent. So we can assume the same spyware yahoo sends in your e-mails is also on the Yahoo "Send Mail" page. and it can record YOUR cookies and the contents of what you sent, even if you don't save in "Sent" folder. If you are that paranoid about anonymously sending a ransom note or about committing any crime via email this solution posted elsewhere will not work ----------- Go out and buy a new wireless network card and PAY CASH. Replace the card in your laptop just before you log on to the Hot spot's router. Be sure to replace your original card before you use that computer to attach to any network. It will remember your new card's serial no.and they can connect it back to you. ---------- Even if you don't use Yahoo, or any other "FREE e-mail" sites, that clam they don't use spyware- Even if you create a bogus account with that sight, with a bogus name - When you hit send, that site can read your cookies, and send back everything. Erase all your cookies? Websites can access more than just cookies, When you buy a new computer. The first time you use it to register with the manufactures warranty web site. The browser has no cookies. So the website asks for your name and address but seems to already know the machine serial number. If they can read the machine's serial number, so could a FREE email's send page. Buy a virgin laptop to use only in your crime and pay Cash so the serial number cant be traced to you? Who pays Cash for a computer unless they want it to be untraceable? The computer seller knows that its serial no. is recorded on the invoice and packing slip from its supplier. He knows if you use it to commit a crime, the police will come back to him to identify you. Notice how he asks you about your family and other personal questions. Notice how he keeps moving around so that when you turn to face him the surveillance camera has a better view. Notice how the clerk asks to help you carry your purchase to your car even when the lap top is so light. When you decline his offer, notice how he followes you outside "to have a smoke." Notice how he followes you into the parking lot "so his boss won't see". Notice how he stops behind the car you get into, far enough away to avoide suspission but close enough to get your car's licence no. So if the FBI can find you, your victom, by spending enough cash, can also. So The question "Can e-mail be traced back to the sender's actual address?" The Answer is ABSOLUTELY CATEGORICALLY UNEQUITABLE HELL YES!!!!!!!!!!!! ============== CORRECTION ================ To the question "Can e-mail be traced back to the sender's actual address?" The Answer is still ABSOLUTELY CATEGORICALLY UNEQUITABLE HELL YES!!!!!!!!!!!! But if the question were "Can e-mail be traced back to the sender's CURRENT address?" The Answor is obviously "NO". As we can see in the news: No matter how many "Anonomis" e-mails the CIA intersepts, they still don't have Ben Laudens CURRENT Adderss.

Asked and answered :-) Sometimes, see my previous answer: http://www.answerbag.com/a_view.php/26756