tracing access to email account

[MrBabis]

If it is just "whois" then it is can be by passed by tools like this:
http://tor.eff.org/cvs/tor/doc/tor-doc-win32.html

then thay have almost no chanse to trace.
thay will reserve wrong IP if computer configuration is correct

[spamdies]

Of course some one that uses lists of proxies such as:
http://www.samair.ru/proxy/
could throw them off as well.

[nihil]

If they are not charging at least $1,000,000 it is:

SPAM SCAM SPAM SCAM SPAM SCAM........................

You would need to use serious bribery to get there,

OK, so you are a super nerd who has just discovered e-mail headers and metadata?...........so let's rip off those lower down in the food chain?.......................

A final word of advice:

"If it is less than $10,000 and it is advertised, it is a RIP-OFF ".............. now go stand in front of a mirror and repeat that ten times

as the saying goes: "There is one born every minute"

[Eyecre8]

There are email tracking technologies out there. Even if proxies or webmail services are used, it will report back the IP of machine (I'm assuming just the public IP) that opened/viewed the email etc ..
There are a couple different techniques that are used to accomplish this...some I am familiar with and some I am not. Of the ones I am mildly familiar with, I know they include HTML scripts or they embed tags within the email that pull images from a website. When the image is loaded from the website, the website in turn records the IP pulling the image.
Example, you want to track where Person A is.
-You host a webserver. You put an image on it that is only 1 pixel by 1 pixel and you name the file "blah blah blah.jpg"
-You craft an email and send it to your target and embed a link that pulls that 1 pixel by 1 pixel graphic image from your webserver.
-Your webserver records the IP of the machine making the call.

Spammers have used similar techniques. Of course, there are way around this specific technique, such as disabling HTML. Even then, there are other techniques. Just ran a search on google (email + silent tracking) and found a site that provides some interesting services:
ReadNotify will endeavour to provide the following in your tracking reports:

* Date and time opened
* Location of recipient (per their ISP city /town)
* Map of location (available on paid subscriptions)
* Recipients IP address
* Apparent email address of opening (if available)
* Referrer details (ie; if accessed via web mail etc)
* URL clicks
* How long the email was read for
* How many times your email was opened
* If your email was forwarded, or opened on a different computer

Link to site: http://www.readnotify.com/readnotify/about.asp

[rapier57]

Yes, Eyecre8, the techniques and tools described are available and often used by spammers--and script kiddies for worms, viruses and trojans--as well. Problem is, some states now have laws against this type of methodology. An investigator who uses that, depending on the location of the target, may be come the target of a state Attorney General.