{"id":2367,"date":"2020-08-25T19:03:12","date_gmt":"2020-08-25T23:03:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/?p=1382"},"modified":"2024-09-05T11:04:08","modified_gmt":"2024-09-05T15:04:08","slug":"being-cyberstalked-prevent-cyberstalking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/blog\/being-cyberstalked-prevent-cyberstalking\/","title":{"rendered":"What to do if you\u2019re being cyberstalked?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block uk-card-default uk-padding\" style=\"font-size:16px\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h4>Table of Contents<\/h4><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#what-is-cyberstalking\">What Is Cyberstalking?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#are-there-laws-against-cyberstalking\">Are There Laws Against Cyberstalking?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#how-can-you-stop-a-cyberstalking-attack\">How Can You Stop a Cyberstalking Attack?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#how-can-you-protect-against-cyberstalking-in-the-future\">How Can You Protect Against Cyberstalking In the Future?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#cyberstalking-resources\">Cyberstalking Resources<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019ve received another threatening message. Or maybe a physical letter. Perhaps your online stalker has even shown up near where you live or work. It doesn\u2019t matter. All you know is that things are getting out of hand, fast. What can you do to prevent cyberstalking?<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You\u2019re not alone. <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.pewresearch.org\/internet\/2017\/07\/11\/online-harassment-2017\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">About 41%<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of Americans are exposed to harassing behavior online at one point or another in their lives. Although most of them are subject to milder forms of abuse, like name-calling and purposeful embarrassment, at least 7% experience cyberstalking.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A serious crime, cyberstalking is methodical, purposeful, and obsessive. In many cases, it goes on for years. But here\u2019s the thing: you don\u2019t have to put up with it. By taking action immediately, you can help prevent an incident from escalating. Below, we talk about this growing crime in more detail, discuss laws that cover cyberstalking and provide step-by-step instructions on how you can protect yourself if you find yourself being stalked on the internet.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-cyberstalking\">What Is Cyberstalking?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cyberstalking is a type of crime that involves the use of technology to harass or stalk someone. Most cyberstalkers want to make their victim feel embarrassed, annoyed or threatened. Typical forms of cyberstalking include false accusations, data manipulation, blackmail, threats, and monitoring someone\u2019s online and offline activities.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Often, the victim has no way of knowing whether the cyberstalker is a stranger or someone they know in real life.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to a 2003 paper \u201c<\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.uic.edu\/ojs\/index.php\/fm\/article\/view\/1076\/996\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">An Exploration of Predatory Behaviour in Cyberspace: Towards a Typology of Cyberstalkers<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d by Leroy McFarlane and Paul Bocij, cyberstalkers typically fall into one of four categories:&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><b>Vindictive Cyberstalker.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> This group uses a wide range of methods to harass their victims, including mailbombing, spamming, identity theft, and even computer viruses. They\u2019re also likely to stalk their targets offline. In many cases, harassment starts after a trivial discussion<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><b>Composed Cyberstalker.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The main goal of this cyberstalker is to cause irritation and annoyance to their victims. Cyberstalkers that fall within this group usually issue threats.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><b>Intimate Cyberstalker.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> These cyberstalkers try to win the attention or feelings of their target. They tend to know an awful lot about their victims and generally use dating sites, email, and web discussion groups. Interestingly, they can be split into two sub-groups: \u201cex-intimates\u201d (ex-partners or ex-acquaintances) and \u201cinfatuates\u201d (individuals searching for intimate relationships).<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><b>Collective Cyberstalkers.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> These cyberstalkers operate in groups of at least two people. They usually have a motive for harassing their target. For example, they may feel like their victim wronged them in some way.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"are-there-laws-against-cyberstalking\"><strong>Are There Laws Against Cyberstalking?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stalking and harassment are a criminal offense in all 50 states in the U.S. Many states include electronic means of communication within their stalking and harassment laws. Some states, like California and Illinois, have specific anti cyberstalking and harassment laws. Federal law also prohibits cyberstalking.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Working to Halt Online Abuse (WHOA), a volunteer organization whose goal is to fight online harassment, has <\/span>a comprehensive list<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of state and federal cyberstalking laws.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-can-you-stop-a-cyberstalking-attack\"><strong>How Can You Stop a Cyberstalking Attack?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re a victim of cyberstalking, don\u2019t wait for the problem to go away. There are plenty of steps you can take to stop a cyberstalking attack today. These include, but are not limited to, blocking the cyberstalker on all platforms and removing your data from people search sites.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are eight steps that can help you put an end to your cyber abuse nightmare.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"1-dont-engage\"><strong>1. Don\u2019t engage<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The number one thing you should do the moment you realize that you\u2019re being stalked online is to tell the cyberstalker to stop. You don\u2019t need to give any explanations. Simply say something along the lines of \u201cplease do not contact me again.\u201d Keep the message for your records.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Unfortunately, it\u2019s more than likely that the cyberstalker won\u2019t stop harassing you. That\u2019s because most stalkers are desperate for attention, regardless of whether it\u2019s positive or negative.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s crucial that you don\u2019t respond to any more of their messages, even if the stalker threatens to contact your family, friends, or employers or expose sensitive information about you. Don\u2019t ask anyone to contact the cyberstalker on your behalf, either. It\u2019s not uncommon for harassers to claim that their victims are the ones harassing them, not the other way around.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"2-tell-those-around-you\"><strong>2. Tell those around you<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s a good idea to tell your family and friends that you\u2019re being stalked online. Not only will they be able to give you the emotional support you need during this frightening time, but they\u2019ll also know not to share any sensitive information about you with people they don\u2019t know very well online. Cyberstalkers often try to get in touch with those close to their victim.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you believe that your cyberstalker is going to start harassing you at work, or if it\u2019s happening already, tell your employer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3-block-the-cyberstalker\"><strong>3. Block the cyberstalker<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Block the stalker on all channels and report their behavior to the respective platform. The majority of email service providers allow you to block an email address, too. Here\u2019s how you can do that <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/support.google.com\/mail\/answer\/8151?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&amp;hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">on Gmail<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the cyberstalker has created a website to slander you, you can contact the web host directly (but first collect evidence \u2014 more on that below).&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If things get very bad, you might want to consider quitting social media (and other platforms the cyberstalker has contacted you on) altogether. That\u2019s what the actress Patricia Arquette had to do in 2011. After (an alleged) cyberstalking incident, she <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nydailynews.com\/entertainment\/gossip\/patricia-arquette-deletes-facebook-account-social-experiment-ends-alleged-cyber-stalker-article-1.962355\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">deactivated her Facebook<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>.<\/strong> Before she did, she wrote, \u201c<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">I ask you not to friend anyone here that you don&#8217;t personally know!!! This is important!!! Just because they were on this page doesn&#8217;t really mean they are safe!&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"4-opt-out-of-data-broker-sites\"><strong>4. Opt-out of data broker sites<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Many cyberstalkers use data brokers and people search sites to find out more about their victims. People search sites have a ton of information about you, including your address, phone number, email address, marital status, income, and more.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Luckily, you can opt-out of most data broker sites. The process is tedious at best, but worth it. There\u2019s nothing like knowing that no one can get their hands on your sensitive data.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just know that you\u2019ll have to repeat the opt-out process routinely, as data brokers relist people\u2019s profiles. If you\u2019re in a hurry, <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">DeleteMe<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can opt-out of major data brokers on your behalf. DeleteMe\u2019s privacy experts also check each database every few months, so you don\u2019t have to worry that your name will reappear without you knowing.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"5-collect-evidence\">5. Collect evidence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your first instinct is probably to get rid of everything that your cyberstalker has sent you, including chat logs, emails, and maybe even physical mail. However, it\u2019s vital that you save every communication you\u2019ve received as it can prove to be invaluable evidence.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This includes screenshots of any social media profiles or websites that the cyberstalker has created in your name. Since screenshots can be easily doctored, you might also want to take a picture of the messages or sites on your device with another camera. Just to be on the safe side, back up all evidence on a USB stick.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take note of any offline activity, like strangers lingering near your home, as well.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"6-assess-your-online-security\"><strong>6. Assess your online security<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As the cyberstalker gathers more information about you, they might try to hack into your online accounts and email. Having strong passwords and enabling two-factor authentication can help protect your online identity.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speaking of online security, even if you\u2019ve blocked your cyberstalker on all social media sites, you should still set all your accounts to private and don\u2019t accept people you don\u2019t know in real life as friends.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also, turn off geolocation tagging and never make future plans (like when and where you\u2019re going to go out for brunch) public. Be wary of the photos you post, as well. Tech-savvy cyberstalkers can analyze your photos and use Street View to figure out where you live. In 2019 a Japanese man allegedly located a young pop star he was obsessed with via the <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/world-asia-50000234\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">reflection in her eyes<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in a photo.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re worried that someone is using spyware to track you, don\u2019t use your computer or phone until a professional takes a good look at it.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"7-think-about-your-offline-safety-too\"><strong>7. Think about your offline safety, too<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cyberstalking can involve stalking in real-life, as well. Just think about: if a cyberstalker finds out your home address, all they have to do is put it into Google Maps to research your environment.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Take the time to assess your home security and avoid meeting with people you know only through the internet.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"8-call-the-police\"><strong>8. Call the police<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re afraid for your safety, you should call the police and victim services. Even if the police can\u2019t prosecute the cyberstalker right away, your report will go on file, and the police will likely give you good advice.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-can-you-protect-against-cyberstalking-in-the-future\"><strong>How Can You Protect Against Cyberstalking In the Future?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The best way to protect yourself from being cyberstalked in the future is to reduce your <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/blog\/what-is-a-digital-footprint\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">digital footprint<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This includes Googling your name to see what kind of information about you is out there and taking the necessary action to get anything you\u2019re unhappy with removed.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While deleting information about you from private websites is usually tricky, it\u2019s not impossible. Our blog post on <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/blog\/how-to-remove-personal-information-from-the-internet\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">How to Remove Personal Information from the Internet<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> should help you get started.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Opting out of data brokers is typically easier, but more time-consuming. We have <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/help.joindeleteme.com\/hc\/en-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">a guide<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on how to remove your profile from most data brokers and people search sites, but if you need help, we can <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">do it for you<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other than that, keep your social media profiles private, change your passwords often (a password manager is a good investment), and install good antivirus software. Also, never use public WiFi and consider setting up a P.O. box and using <\/span><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.abine.com\/blog\/2018\/create-disposable-email-part-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a Masked Email<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and phone number. Remember: if they can\u2019t find you online or offline, they can\u2019t stalk you.&nbsp;<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"cyberstalking-resources\"><strong>Cyberstalking Resources<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For more advice and extensive resources, check out the following:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fightcyberstalking.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Fight Cyberstalking<\/strong><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is an online resource website for victims of cyberstalking. It has information on how to report a cyberstalker, online privacy and social networking safety tips, and more.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.stalkingawareness.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/07\/SPARC_StalkingLogInstructions_2018_FINAL.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Stalking Prevention, Awareness, and Resource Center<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has a stalking incident and behavior log to help you track stalking-related events.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.usps.com\/manage\/po-boxes.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The United States Postal Service<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has a guide on how to set up a P.O. box.&nbsp;<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.womenslaw.org\/laws\/general\/restraining-orders\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">WomensLaw<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> provides information on domestic violence restraining orders.<\/span><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/victimconnect.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">VictimConnect<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> can help you learn about your rights as a victim.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You\u2019ve received another threatening message. Or maybe a physical letter. Perhaps your online stalker has even shown up near where you live or work. It doesn\u2019t matter. All you know is that things are getting out of hand, fast. What can you do to prevent cyberstalking? You\u2019re not alone. About 41% of Americans are exposed [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":6282,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-privacy-tips"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2367","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2367"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2367\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6282"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2367"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2367"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2367"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}