We can’t avoid using the internet. It’s made shopping, banking, and communicating so much easier. But if we have children, we must educate them about the proper and safe ways to use online services in order to avoid problems, like identity theft, cyber bullying or online stalking. As for cyber stalking, well, there are all sorts of criminals around. If you can use high tech gadgets and services, so can disturbed cyber stalkers.

Cyber Stalking

Stalkers are people who follow their victims wherever they go. These obsessed or infatuated people trail after their objects of affection, and they sometimes send letters or gifts too. Stalking occurs, not only with celebrities but with regular folks too. These days, however, stalkers now have more resources on hand because of the technologies available to them. This is why cyber stalking has become a huge problem.

Cyber stalkers are those that use online resources to follow their victims. These people could still appear wherever their victims may happen to be, and they could still make phone calls, send letters or gifts, or maybe take photographs of the individuals that they are stalking. With the convenience that the internet offers, however, stalkers have obtained more resources that they use to stalk others.

Signs That You or Your Teen May Have a Cyber Stalker

1. Knows every move you make online

Cyber stalkers are pretty cunning. Many actually have the skills to follow you online. They know how to keep track of when you log in or log out. If stalkers appear in places where you are, cyber stalkers suddenly show up in the chat rooms or message boards that you also frequent. Even if you’ve made yourself “invisible” to your stalker, he’d know you were online by checking the comments or messages you’ve left in your friend’s pages.

2. Always visits your personal web pages

Someone who often visits your personal web pages could be a fan. But if he does some weird stuff, like leaving so many messages or comments, or maybe inviting you for chats or maybe for dates, then, you may already have a stalker.

3. Knows your personal details

It can be hard to keep your privacy, especially if you’re constantly updating your status on Facebook or maybe tweeting details to everyone you know. But some people guard their online info carefully, and they refrain from posting or giving too much information online. If you’re careful about who you give your information to on the internet, then you should be wary when someone you don’t even know knows too much about you. A stalker, for instance, could mention seeing your picture on a personal website, which you’re very private about. He could bring up certain details or maybe blogs that you know have already been archived. This means that he’s done his homework about you. He’s researched about you, which is actually very creepy.

4. Frequently contacts you

Like the usual stalkers, cyber stalkers will try to meet up with their victims by inviting them to something harmless, like maybe coffee or dinner. But agreeing to any invitation could be disastrous as you might only fuel their obsession even more. If someone online not only tries to get in touch with you via the internet but is also convincing you to meet him for real, then you should even be more cautious. Also, a cyber stalker will not be satisfied with sending just a few emails or chat invitations each day. He could send so many that you’ll most likely feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of his electronic messages. When this happens, seek help from authorities or responsible agencies.

Citations:

• Photo courtesy of Salvatore Vuono at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.

Claire Shaun writes for many legal websites, including www.muscalaw.com. Check out the site if you’re having trouble with cyber stalkers, aggravated stalking, DUIs or DWIs, theft, and other serious crimes.