BS Goon. Contacting a company mascarading as the victim in order to obtain gain access to an accout that contains personal information for purposes of using that acocut as the victim is the very definition of Identity Theft through Social Engineering. The definition provided by the U.S. DOJ is "Identity theft and identity fraud are terms used to refer to all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person's personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain."

While CCP may encourage this type of activity IN GAME, (you know, like they encourage murder) outside of the game is a crime and is illegal in many countries.

The definition provided by the U.S. DOJ is "Identity theft and identity fraud are terms used to refer to all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person's personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain."

crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person's personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain."

some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain."

I believe Mittani said, and I paraphrase, "...1 inch further than your enemy is willing to go."

Typically does not mean necessarily. The lack of economic gain means that the victim may not be quite so motivated to press charges, but it is still very much a crime.

It might have happened like the OP says...

However there's quite a few times that corp assets disappeared in EVE and the CEO blames 'hackers', while after CCP staff investigate they find no foul play at work.

Guess where those assets disappeared to?

Obviously we do not know what happened but if it went down as described then I believe it was a criminal act.

Even if the guy had been silly enough to say hand over his password it would still have been illegal if he had not given his permission to access his PSN account.

Hope the guy also put in a ticket to CCP and sorted out the security issues with Sony.

That's like saying it isn't breaking & entering if all you do is delete someone's Final Fantasy savegames while you're in.

lets put it another way. You tell someone where you live and thoughtlessly leave your keys on your chair. Do you think it is illegal if the person then proceeds to use your key to enter your house without permission.

Or how about when cops set up a sting car, leave the door unlocked, and a mobile phone on display. Do you think taking taking the phone or the car is legal just because the car door was unlocked.

Generally granting "permission" can be the difference between legal and illegal.

As to the matter of going to jail it is probably unlikely unless you have been doing it a lot or committing other offences. However, just because it might be considered a relatively minor crime doesn't make it any less a crime.

PS. I was never the one to raise the issue of jail only that gaining access to a PSN account without permission particularly for your express benefit is still a crime.

Answered your own question. It also is often used by CCP to wash their hands of many things, regardless of relevancy. Sort of a intellectual property version of signed paper waivers. Works good for support tickets/petitions, may lose steam if someone brings the local laws into play.

Virtual Crime generally gets a free pass but cyber bullying does not. Good luck trying to find any lines.

My apologies for completely undermining your argument.