Hi. I got a few PM's about my case, and just wanted to share what I did.
For starters, and I don't know that this would make a difference, but I knew this woman in "real life" and she made no quelms to hide who she was in any way shape or form.
Secondly, I kept VERY careful track of message board postings, emails, PM's, and other forms of communication. I was also VERY careful to NOT respond to her, even in the worst of moments, when she had gone down to the courthouse, and posted information about my divorce all over a message board. She followed me from board to board, and from IM to IM, and PM to PM. One day I had enough.
I filed a complaint with my local police department and had her served with a personal protection order. (Here in Michigan we have VERY strict internet stalking laws.) She broke that a couple of times, and spent a couple of nights in jail before she got the idea.
After that, I made copies of everything, and forwarded them to her corporate office, knowing that a lot of this had happened while she was at work, and it came from that companies IP address, that I had traced. Because some of it had crossed state lines, and because of the severity (and because of several threats), she was charged with a felony, and lost her job. (She was also later charged with other charges of felony embezzlement from there after the fact, interestingly enough.)
So if you are being stalked or harassed via the internet, here is some advice:
Keep VERY careful track of all postings, even if you have to do a "print screen" to save it in a word document.
Change your email address, or message board ID, if at all possible.
Be careful when using IMs. These can't be traced as easily.
If the harassment continues in "real life," or not, file for a restraining order, and have it ceased. In some cases, you can be charged with all sorts of stalker clauses, and charges.
And if you are the "Stalker." I suggest you stop it. You may think that you are hidden, and can't be found out, but I assure you that you can. It would only be a matter of time, and a little bit of money before you butt would be busted.
For starters, and I don't know that this would make a difference, but I knew this woman in "real life" and she made no quelms to hide who she was in any way shape or form.
Secondly, I kept VERY careful track of message board postings, emails, PM's, and other forms of communication. I was also VERY careful to NOT respond to her, even in the worst of moments, when she had gone down to the courthouse, and posted information about my divorce all over a message board. She followed me from board to board, and from IM to IM, and PM to PM. One day I had enough.
I filed a complaint with my local police department and had her served with a personal protection order. (Here in Michigan we have VERY strict internet stalking laws.) She broke that a couple of times, and spent a couple of nights in jail before she got the idea.
After that, I made copies of everything, and forwarded them to her corporate office, knowing that a lot of this had happened while she was at work, and it came from that companies IP address, that I had traced. Because some of it had crossed state lines, and because of the severity (and because of several threats), she was charged with a felony, and lost her job. (She was also later charged with other charges of felony embezzlement from there after the fact, interestingly enough.)
So if you are being stalked or harassed via the internet, here is some advice:
Keep VERY careful track of all postings, even if you have to do a "print screen" to save it in a word document.
Change your email address, or message board ID, if at all possible.
Be careful when using IMs. These can't be traced as easily.
If the harassment continues in "real life," or not, file for a restraining order, and have it ceased. In some cases, you can be charged with all sorts of stalker clauses, and charges.
And if you are the "Stalker." I suggest you stop it. You may think that you are hidden, and can't be found out, but I assure you that you can. It would only be a matter of time, and a little bit of money before you butt would be busted.
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