HELP!!! I think I might be stalked.

[shengmei]

HELP!!! I think I might be stalked (not sure what the definition of stalking is).

Someone is following me to all kinds of message boards and posting negative things after my every post.

It would only be a matter of time before she registers in this forum. If someone suddenly comes in and posts after every post I make I hope you understand it is not the topic she is worried about.


I can only blame myself for being stupid enough to provide my full name.

She lives outside Texas, so I don't think she would do physical harm. However, the possibility of not ever being able to participate in any cat message boards again is terrifying.

[getforfree]

Re: HELP!!! I think I might be stalked.

How would anybody know all the message boards you go to? Can people really do that?

[Crystallas]

Re: HELP!!! I think I might be stalked.

yes, but its a lot of effort on their part.

[34saving]

Re: HELP!!! I think I might be stalked.

If/when it's a problem try a different user name.

[Ima saver]

Re: HELP!!! I think I might be stalked.

wow, that is scarey , can anything be done? (I know nothing about computers)

[shengmei]

Re: HELP!!! I think I might be stalked.

Well, I was stupid enough to use shengmei as the username for everything.

[DivaJen]

Re: HELP!!! I think I might be stalked.

It's not terribly hard to track someone down on the Internet if they're not trying to not be found.

Thanks for the warning - maybe let Jeffrey know, just as sort of a heads up?

[jeffrey]

Re: HELP!!! I think I might be stalked.

Don't think it will be a problem here Will keep my eyes open.

[Broken Arrow]

Re: HELP!!! I think I might be stalked.

Conceptually, it's not hard for someone to track you online IF you use consistent usernames, certain taglines, or other distinctive identifiers on sites that Google's spiderbots run through on a regular basis.

I believe this forum could be one of them. Let me check.

YUP! Top of the list even! How odd. I figured it would be listed, but top of the list? Amazing.

Kind of ironic because some of the simpler things we do online are also some of the most difficult to track as well....

Anyways, this is the reason why I change and actually use a few different usernames throughout the net. Not because I have anything to hide per se.... Well, actually I do. I just recently divorced, and the last thing I would want is for my ex to find out what I am doing recently. Especially financially.

There are ways to make oneself nearly untraceable online, but I don't feel comfortable talking publically about that, nor do I think it's necessary to take such measures. For you, doing something simple like setting up a public ID should be enough. What I mean is to create a brand new username and email account that has absolutely no connection to you in real life and to your online past. That way, even if your information is spidered, your most basic stalkers shouldn't know that it's you they're looking at.