In 2005 , the NSA OIG was notified that , on the subject 's first day of access to the SIGINT collection system , he queried six e - mail addresses belonging to a former girlfriend , a U.S. person , without authorization . A site review of SIGINT audit discovered the queries four days after they occurred . The subject testified that he wanted to practice on the system and had decided to use this former girlfriend 's email addresses . He also testified that he received no information as a result of his queries and had not read any U.S. person 's email . ;