.Almost everyday people and even companies lodge Gmail complaints or complaints against other email and search engine providers for various reasons such as email hacking, email spams, internet defamation and for many other cyber crimes. For example, in 2005, MacWorld lodged a complaint against Google because of the malfunctioning of its Gmail webmail services. The complaints were about its anti-virus feature as the virus-scanning constantly turning-off and the virus protection blocking.

The Gmail discussion groups are a rich source of information on the numerous Gmail complaints and there are presently companies that have been set up to act as watchdog regarding the treatment and collection of private data collected by internet service providers to ensure that they are acting within legal frameworks and in accordance with exiting laws such as consumer law, the Data Protection Act and other legal provisions.

For example, in 2004, the Watchdog Group Privacy International filed Gmail complaints in some seventeen countries. These complaints covered a wide range of legal breaches that Google had committed such as scanning of emails, storing of emails for longer periods than legally prescribed and various other breaches of national and international laws. It is important for people to understand that it is not solely for gross offences that they can file a complaint against a service provider but in instances of minor breaches on their terms of service and policies as well.

Indeed, in present days, most clients are not satisfied with their email providers because either of email hacking or spams or misuse of their private data. In such instances, Gmail clients have the right to file a Gmail complaint. Most people do not read the terms and conditions when opening an email account and a Google account and they are not aware of that there is a communication channel available for service users to report an email hacking and other grievances on Google. Listed below is basic information on how to lodge a complaint against Gmail webmail service or any email service provider:

• In instances when an email has been hacked, which means that the person’s identity is being used by someone else, the victim should immediately contact his/her service provider. He/she should give all of the relevant information regarding the hacking including the email account information, time and date the hacking was discovered, the last Log In of his/her account and other information that he/she finds suspect.
• After contacting the email service provider, it is an imperative that the victim contacts the agency that has authority over the crime. The agency is often either the local policy department or the internet crime complaint center or in some instances, the FBI.
• The victim needs to file a complaint with these legal institutions that then will process the file and refer the case to the appropriate law enforcement branch that can be either a federal or state or international agency.
• While the email service provider will investigate at their level, a criminal investigation as well has to be launched since, email hacking is a criminal offense that should not be undermined.

In the United States, a Gmail complaint and any other internet provider complaints can be filed online on the website of the Internet Crime Complaint Center. After lodging the complaint, the victim will receive a confirmation receipt by email and instructions of what will be required to process the complaint further..