Protect Yourself from Cyberstalking

The FBI reports that 1 in 4 teenagers will be stalked before they are adults.

Here are some smart safety steps to take that will help you keep your internet activities fun.

Chose a gender neutral name. Don't use a name that suggests your age, either.

Make your online profile vague. Say things like: “I like basketball,” not: “I play varsity basketball for The Dalles High School.”

Keep all personal information private. Never give out your last name, home address, phone number, social security number, or where you work or go to school. Use a dummy email account (like hotmail or yahoo) instead of your local ISP email address (like gorge.net or skyride.net). An experienced stalker can trace any of this information back to you.

Be aware that the person with whom you are chatting may be giving you false information about themselves. Stalkers are good at lying and use the internet because it’s easy to hide their real identity. Be alert for things that don't "add up" about a person.

Be extra careful if the person you are chatting with tells you a “hard luck story.” Stalkers will deliberately manipulate your emotions. They will try to make you feel sorry for them or promise you love, then ask you for sexual favors, money, or other things.

Stalkers can be patient. Some stalkers spend weeks or even months trying to get you to trust them. Setting you up is just part of the "game" to them. Just because you’ve “known” someone online a long time doesn’t guarantee that they are “safe.”

If you feel uneasy at any time, then listen to your “gut feelings.” We often pick up little clues about others that we don’t recognize at the time, but our “gut” instinct is telling us that there is something.

If someone is making you uncomfortable, tell them to stop. Once you've asked them to stop, don't try to continue a debate with them. If they continue to harrass you, then immediately switch your online profile to a new name for a while. Report them to the online service. Use the online service features provided to "block" them from contacting you.

Know what the law is. If you are under the age of 18 and someone asks you to send them photos of yourself naked, or engaged in sexual activity, they are asking you to break the law. Contact the FBI. If someone sends you photos of a person under the age of 18 engaged in sexual activity, they have just broken the law. Contact your local FBI office to report people who engage in child pornography and internet crime. The FBI takes these reports seriously. To learn how you can report internet crime, click here.

Tell others about your online friendships. If you are hiding your online relationship from your parents and/or your friends, that is a clue that it may not be safe. Never agree to meet an online buddy in person alone in a private place.

Use your intuition. Protect your self by being proactive and surf the net in safety!

Adapted from: http://www.cr-foundation.org/conflict5.htm

Everyone deserves a safe home!
Practice harmlessness in word, thought and deed with the ones you love!

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