In today’s digital age, our lives are intricately woven into the vast web of the internet. We use social media, online forums, and various apps to connect, share, and communicate which are all great but they come with their issues.
While the internet offers incredible opportunities, it also brings along the concern of privacy and online safety. People can easily track and monitor you just because you have a social profile. Have you ever wondered if someone is stalking you online?
How to Know if Someone is Stalking You Online
If the thought has ever crossed your mind, you’re not alone and to be honest, you may not be wrong about being stalked by someone. Here, we’ll look into the signs that you should look out for to know if someone is stalking you online and, most importantly, how to protect yourself from stalkers.
Examine your social media accounts
The first place to check is your social media profiles. Do you have unknown followers or friends? Are there comments or likes from someone you don’t recognize? If so, it could be a red flag.
You have to examine every detail once in a while and not overlook any red flags, the truth could be hidden where you have failed to look.
We often assume that unknown comments and likes are from bots but the truth is that not all of them are bots, some are stalkers.
Review your privacy settings
Once you start noticing funny attempts to access your account, you should take a moment to review the privacy settings on your social media accounts.
Ensure your posts are visible only to people you trust. Regularly update your passwords and enable two-factor authentication for an extra layer of security.
Be mindful of unsolicited messages
One way stalkers come into the lives of people they are stalking is by sending unsolicited messages to them.
If you receive persistent, unsolicited messages or friend requests from someone you don’t know, be cautious, and don’t be in a hurry to accept them. Stalkers often create fake profiles to engage with their targets.
Monitor your online presence
Perform a quick search of your name on search engines like Google.com or Bing.com. Check the results and see if there is any information that you did not put online.
Stalkers often gather details from various sources to track their victims, you can protect yourself by limiting the contents about you that are online.
Watch for suspicious emails and links
One thing that is very common among stalkers is sending messages containing links to their victims.
Be wary of emails or messages containing suspicious links. Clicking on these links could install malware, allowing the stalker to monitor your online activities. If you receive a message containing a link, do not open it unless you confirm the sender and the reason for the message.
Trust your intuition
Sometimes, your gut feeling is the best indicator, it tells you who not to trust and who to trust. If something feels off, trust your intuition. If you suspect someone is stalking you, document the evidence and report it to the platform administrators and, if necessary, law enforcement.
Secure your devices
To stay online, we use different devices, from mobile phones to laptops and other internet-accessible devices, and most of the time, these drives are not secured.
You need to protect your devices with up-to-date antivirus software. Regularly update your operating system and applications to fix security vulnerabilities.
You can also use strong passwords on your devices and keep them away from friends or family members, when more than one person uses your password, your accounts or devices become vulnerable.
Seek support
If you believe you are being stalked, talk to someone you trust. It could be a friend, family member, or a mental health professional. Don’t face it alone; support is crucial. You can also report to the law enforcement agency.
Do not forget that just like your offline safety, your online safety matters. You need to stay vigilant and proactive, so you can protect yourself from potential online stalkers.
Regularly review your online presence, be cautious about the information you share, do not click on links you don’t know the sender, in addition, do not join groups you haven’t confirmed the intention of the admin and trust your instincts. Stay safe out there!
