E-mail account queries... Does this constitute identity theft?

[nicholasloh]

Hi, I have two queries.

Hypothetically, if someone does the following to obtain another person's e-mail account, is that legal?

(1) User resets the password by answering all the Security Questions by guessing.

(2) User resets the account password to one of his choosing, thereby preventing the previous owner from accessing the account again.

Aside,

Hypothetically, under mandatory fields whereby a website demands the submission of an e-mail address, and a person submits the address of one of his acquaintances. Does this constitute identity theft, despite the fact that there is no attempt to masquerade as his acquaintance apart from the provision of the e-mail?

[AFFA]

I wish to inform you that a person may be held guilty under cyber law for hacking email account and breach of privacy. In this person may be accused of identity theft because person is entering information by becoming the user of account. As the person has used incorrect means to obtain password by falsely representing himself to be user therefore identity theft may be involved. Further person can be held liable for breach of privacy.

AFF

[nicholasloh]

Thanks for the response. So the first scenario is definitely a case of identity theft. What about the second? Is that considered identity theft also?