Online Stalkers: My Experiences

Lately, I have been having a problem with a stalker. I informed my sister, because I felt maybe she needed to be warned. She told me she had already known, because she was also being attacked. She pointed out an article she had written here on Associated Content regarding situations like this, and that the stalker we have was commenting on the article. The article was written to educate those of us who are having problems with people online and how to watch and recognize them and the problem. Here is the link to the article, if you want to review it:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/75260/how_to_spot_offensive_people_online.html

I read the article, and thought of our harasser, which is someone I actually know. And then I wondered why someone would write any comments on the article, making them look further like a fool.

Presently this harasser, has had two different MySpace accounts, and the content this person puts on the page, liked to have shocked both my sister and I. It was utterly appalling. Luckily with many letters to MySpace, the page owner has once again been deleted.

This situation, because one must protect ones self, has actually benefited both my sister and I. We have been talking to and fro on the phone a lot lately, laughing and giggling. Not that we are laughing or giggling about the harasser-but it gives us time to think, talk and catch up. So something good is coming from the situation.

Stalkers, must have a lot of time on their hands. And they must actually need someone to play with, thus the one they have chosen to harass. I wish I had that much time on my hands sometimes, but-this does however, prove my mother right: Idle hands ARE, in fact, the devil's tools!

How can we avoid things like this happening?

A friend of mine, right on the very front of her myspace, introduces herself and gives you her last name! Right there, you are making yourself wide open and ready for the attack! No one except for your very close and personal friends need know your last name. Myspace is a place for criminals, and trust me- many of them are on there. And with myspace being the topic here-if some friend requests you, check out their profile first. If they have no picture-go read what they wrote. If they speak of sex, or where they work all through the profile- and you do not know them, do not approve. And by all means, don't be afraid to ask who they are, and why they want to be your friend!

If you are receiving email from people you do not know, if it has an attachment, and your program downloads it to read it, just delete it. Do not bother. If it was important, or someone you know, they will email back and ask if you seen it, or read it. Tell your friends and family, if they are sending you something to give you a heads up first!

These few things, will help you a great deal online. Because the internet, is not a safe place to be, believe it or not.

Now then, the stalker that my sister and I acquired was a friend of mine. Unfortunately she is obviously hanging around the wrong people, and the groups of them- have nothing better to do. So the target is my sister and I. Some of what I am being told, is that this person is trying to pit us against one another. If that doesn't prove the theory of boredom, I don't know what else could!

My sister and I, do not have the perfect relationship. Not that this is important to you, or to our stalker. But we do work at it, we are trying-but it is a slow and painful process. And because this stalker, knows me one on one, they know what trials and tribulations we have been through. So that is another thing to watch out for, even your friends and family can snap at the drop of a hat. Because everything between this friend and I was peachy keen, and then at the snap of a finger, without warning-poof everything changed. There was no warning! None, I am not kidding, because just the day before-my friend and I had talked, as friends do. So this is why it is even more confusing!

Apparently, everything has finally gotten to this friend. I have no clue, because all this person seems to do is email me with details on my sister, and trying to make trouble out of things that truly aren't troublesome. I mean, get this, she forwarded an email to me- from my sister, where my sister thanked, yes thanked this stalker for reading her content on A.C. because it was getting her paid. She proceeded to thank her for reading mine too, because she said, if you are reading mine, then I know you are reading my sisters, so thank you for making her money too! How is that bad? This stalker wrote atop the letter, look your sister still hates you, she still wants to make trouble, and ruin your life. I wrote back, with the answer of OK. I mean what else could I say? I have to sit in fear, of being TOS'ed just for responding, because I kid you not, this woman is stating on her myspace that she is reporting us for everything. And let's face it, big service providers like myspace and yahoo, have so many complaints and crap to deal with, do you really think they have time to read them all?

I have been being told by both my father and husband to ignore. My sister is being told by my father to ignore. We were raised, that if you leave and ignore the person, or problem-they will find someone else to bother and harass, because you aren't playing along! NOT TRUE! I hate to complain, but no- when said stalker, harasser or problem child, has no life-they apparently have all the time in the world! (Must be nice!)

It is sad, when the first thing you have to do when you climb out of bed, is run to your email, your myspace, and check to see if it is OK, and check your stalkers page, to see what they have written, since they are degrading you, and ruining your own name! How can this be legal? I thought there were laws! Deformation of character, harassment, this is just as much in real life, as it is and can be online.

I feel that if the stalker, harasser, can name my sister and I, then we should by all means legally be able to say my stalker is-- and give you a name. But then as I write this, I am thinking-what if it is a person pretending to be said person. I am shaking my head; I am giving this person credit. With all the details, all the postings, everything that is being said, how can it be anyone else? And by all means, if I posted it, we both know the law is on the side of the criminal, which I am not. And it would be the criminal crying the blues-"How dare she write about me!" What ever happened to turn abouts fair play?!

Yeah, then the phrase hits me to turn the other cheek. I have turned them, and turned them, they both are red. Ignore. Yeah, but it is not you getting your name ruined. Sure it is advertisement for my sister and I. But is this the kind of mental advertisement we want? This is attracting more lunatics in my opinion.

I have informed cyber law agencies, I have informed the authorities, as have others. It took over a week for this person's second myspace to be deleted. And wrongfully, myspace wrote to me and told me they had deleted it-when they in fact had not. So naturally I wrote back, addressing the lie issue. Now I sit in fear of another new myspace for this person to make to degrade my sister and I. This just isn't right!

Associated Content had to close this person's account down, but that isn't going to stop them from going to the library and posting nasty and rude and hateful comments- and listing anyone's name that they want to. So then we have to baby sit dozens of articles, because Associated content does not send an email for every post received, even if you have it checked to be notified. I understand the surfer may have nice things to say, I have a few nice comments from the common surfer. But this internet thing, is really starting to make my blood pressure raise.

I am remembering my father telling me the internet is the devils tool and that the inventor, and I won't use a name - he is the anti Christ. My Aunt said that a long time ago, but I haven't heard it from her in quite sometime. She has an email account and writes to us all from time to time. I like it for keeping in touch with my family in another state. It is cheaper then long distance and I can blind copy and write to everyone at the same time when something interesting happens. Yes, there is always a pro and a con to everything.

If you have never been stalked, you are blessed. And if you have been stalked, I would be interested on how you resolved the situation. People say that when you apologize for something, for instance, when a relative dies, and you say, "I know how you feel." And honestly, you have never experienced death-why do you bother? Words. I am totally at a wits end, can you tell? I am totally and truly ranting! LOL

I want to get even, and trust me, I know it's wrong. I have prayed, friends and family have done so too. My Aunt tells me this is why my friend- the stalker is out of my life, because she prayed for the bad to leave. And they did this intensely the day that my friend up and decided to hit the road. When my aunt told me this, I was dumbfounded. I was at a loss for words. And my aunt told me, she was sick and tired of me doing the Christian thing and trying to help those less fortunate. She said it is my family that I need to focus on, and I asked what she meant. She explained, that I even needed to focus on my sister relationship, that they were praying about that too. And then I look at what is happening here with this stalker and my sister and I. Is it the Devil or is it God pushing us together? All this thinking is starting to hurt, and confuse me.

Presently I have acquired yet another stalker. Or "fan" if you will. This one posts about me on forums, daily and proudly. Yes, it is true-it is advertisement. But I ask you this, does this person have a life away from that computer screen? And again, my main concern, is how you can go by only one name, (probably not even your own name!) and blame people- literally blame others, claiming you have proof. I don't care about your proof, or any of your other lies. No one does. You are a very sad and lame individual who needs a life. I don't truly think you surfed and found me, I think you "know" me, and perhaps are jealous of me. You slam on my work, but have you ever thought I have the ORIGINAL work in my folder, and that when items here on A.C. are published errors happen? No program is perfect, I point blank made it public that I have requested to A.C. to change my trailer park article that you slam on daily. I am not entertained by you, and neither (obviously) are your friends and followers. A stalker is not a job, or hobby to be proud of.

I guess I will close with this:

To my stalkers, I thank you for helping my sister and I repair our relationship. Apparently, you are a blessing in disguise. I wish all the best for you, and thank you for helping us, my sister and I, with our incomes. God be with you, and may He help guide you back onto the right path!

To those of you having stalker issues I give you this warning: they are and can be dangerous, keep your guard up, protect yourself, and warn your friends and family. Also be aware, someone on the inside, just might be a leak-trust no one. And if it seems to suddenly stop-don't get your hopes up, the person might be "pretending" to be done with you, busy, or side tracked. Remember children? When they are being quiet-they are up to no good!! Let it be known, stalkers are and can be dangerous both online and off. The more they know and learn about you-they can then find you offline too. Protect yourself!