Published On: May 19th, 2020Last Updated: March 25th, 20220 Comments on SCARS™ Scam Basics: Cyberstalking1596 words8 min readTotal Views: 1197Daily Views: 1
SCARS™ Scam Basics: Cyberstalking 1General Paul Nakasone - Do You Know Him? Another Stolen Face / Stolen Identity
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SCARS™ Scam Basics: Cyberstalking

Cyberstalking Is The Use Of The Internet Or Other Electronic Means To Track Down, Insert Yourself, Stalk, Or Harass Another Person.

It may include false accusations, defamation, slander, and libel. It may also include monitoring, identity theft, threats, vandalism, solicitation for sex, or gathering information that may be used to threaten, embarrass, or harass.

But it can be as simple as tracking down and inserting yourself in the life of another person, regardless of the intention!

Cyberstalking is often accompanied by realtime or offline stalking. In many jurisdictions, such as California, both are criminal offenses. Both are motivated by a desire to insert yourself into someone’s life, to control, to intimidate, or influence another person (who is the focus or victim of the Cyberstalking).

A stalker may be an online stranger or a person whom the target knows. They may be anonymous and solicit the involvement of other people online who do not even know the target.

Cyberstalking is a criminal offense under various United States and other country anti-stalking, slander, and harassment laws. A conviction can result in a restraining order, probation, or criminal penalties against the assailant, including jail.

For example, tracking down the person who’s face used by scammers in a stolen photo is cyberstalking and it is a crime.

WHAT IT IS

There have been a number of attempts by experts and legislators to define cyberstalking. It is generally understood to be the use of the Internet or other electronic means to hunt down, stalk or harass an individual, a group, or an organization.

Cyberstalking is a form of cyberbullying; the terms are often used interchangeably in the media. Both may include false accusations, defamation, slander, and libel – but that is not required – just the intrusion in another person’s life uninvited can be considered cyberstalking.

Cyberstalking may also include monitoring, identity theft, threats, vandalism, solicitation for sex, or gathering information that may be used to threaten or harass. Cyberstalking is often accompanied by realtime or offline stalking. Both forms of stalking may be criminal offenses.

Stalking is a continuous process, consisting of a series of actions, each of which may be entirely legal in itself.

Technology ethics professor Lambèr Royakkers defines cyberstalking as “perpetrated by someone without a current relationship with the victim. About the abusive effects of cyberstalking, he writes that:

[Stalking] is a form of mental assault, in which the perpetrator repeatedly, unwantedly, and disruptively breaks into the life-world of the victim, with whom he has no relationship (or no longer has), with motives that are directly or indirectly traceable to the affective sphere. Moreover, the separated acts that make up the intrusion cannot by themselves cause the mental abuse, but do taken together (cumulative effect).

IDENTIFICATION AND DETECTION OF CYBERSTALKING

When identifying cyberstalking “in the field,” and particularly when considering whether to report it to any kind of legal authority, the following features or combination of features can be considered to characterize a true stalking situation:

  • malice
  • premeditation
  • repetition
  • distress
  • obsession
  • vendetta
  • no legitimate purpose
  • personally directed
  • disregarded warnings to stop
  • harassment
  • threats

A NUMBER OF KEY FACTORS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED IN CYBERSTALKING:

  • False accusations: Many cyberstalkers try to damage the reputation of their victim and turn other people against them. They post false information about them on websites. They may set up their own websites, blogs or user pages for this purpose. They post allegations about the victim to newsgroups, chat rooms, or other sites that allow public contributions such as Wikipedia or Amazon.com.
  • Attempts to gather information about the victim: Cyberstalkers may approach their victim’s friends, family, and work colleagues to obtain personal information. They may advertise for information on the Internet, or hire a private detective.
  • Monitoring their target’s online activities:  Such as attempting to trace their IP address in an effort to gather more information about their victims.
  • Encouraging others to harass the victim: Many cyberstalkers try to involve third parties in the harassment. They may claim the victim has harmed the stalker or his/her family in some way or may post the victim’s name and telephone number in order to encourage others to join the pursuit.
  • False victimization: The cyberstalker will claim that the victim is harassing him or her. This phenomenon has been noted in a number of well-known cases.
  • Attacks on data and devices: They may try to damage the victim’s computer by sending viruses.
  • Ordering goods and services: They order items or subscribe to magazines in the victim’s name. These often involve subscriptions to pornography or ordering sex toys then having them delivered to the victim’s workplace.
  • Attempting or arranging to meet: Young people face a particularly high risk of having cyberstalkers try to set up meetings between them.
  • The posting of defamatory or derogatory statements: Using web pages and message boards to incite some response or reaction from their victim.

SUMMARY

Unfortunately, it is fairly common for romance scam victims to obsess over the face in the stolen photos used by the scammers, and victims will invent a variety of reasons why they must hunt down and contact that person. But that act alone is cyberstalking.

If someone is the victim of a scam then report it to the police and let them take legal action. Being a stalker or vigilante is almost never justified.

Likewise, if you have someone stalking you, you need to know that you can report this to your local police and also your national cybercrimes police (such as the FBI via www.IC3.gov)

TAGS: SCARS, Important Article, Information About Scams, Anti-Scam, Scams, Scammers, Fraudsters, Cybercrime, Crybercriminals, Romance Scams, Scam Victims, Cyberstalking, Stalking, Malice, Premeditation, Repetition, Distress, Obsession, Vendetta, No Legitimate Purpose, Personally Directed, Disregarded Warnings To Stop, Harassment, Threats, Tracking, Impersonation Victims

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FAQ: How Do You Properly Report Scammers?

It is essential that law enforcement knows about scams & scammers, even though there is nothing (in most cases) that they can do.

Always report scams involving money lost or where you received money to:

  1. Local Police – ask them to take an “informational” police report – say you need it for your insurance
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  4. The SCARS|CDN™ Cybercriminal Data Network – Worldwide Reporting Network on « www.Anyscam.com »

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If you are looking for local trauma counselors please visit counseling.AgainstScams.org or join SCARS for our counseling/therapy benefit: membership.AgainstScams.org

If you need to speak with someone now, you can dial 988 or find phone numbers for crisis hotlines all around the world here: www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

A Note About Labeling!

We often use the term ‘scam victim’ in our articles, but this is a convenience to help those searching for information in search engines like Google. It is just a convenience and has no deeper meaning. If you have come through such an experience, YOU are a Survivor! It was not your fault. You are not alone! Axios!

A Question of Trust

At the SCARS Institute, we invite you to do your own research on the topics we speak about and publish, Our team investigates the subject being discussed, especially when it comes to understanding the scam victims-survivors experience. You can do Google searches but in many cases, you will have to wade through scientific papers and studies. However, remember that biases and perspectives matter and influence the outcome. Regardless, we encourage you to explore these topics as thoroughly as you can for your own awareness.

Statement About Victim Blaming

Some of our articles discuss various aspects of victims. This is both about better understanding victims (the science of victimology) and their behaviors and psychology. This helps us to educate victims/survivors about why these crimes happened and to not blame themselves, better develop recovery programs, and to help victims avoid scams in the future. At times this may sound like blaming the victim, but it does not blame scam victims, we are simply explaining the hows and whys of the experience victims have.

These articles, about the Psychology of Scams or Victim Psychology – meaning that all humans have psychological or cognitive characteristics in common that can either be exploited or work against us – help us all to understand the unique challenges victims face before, during, and after scams, fraud, or cybercrimes. These sometimes talk about some of the vulnerabilities the scammers exploit. Victims rarely have control of them or are even aware of them, until something like a scam happens and then they can learn how their mind works and how to overcome these mechanisms.

Articles like these help victims and others understand these processes and how to help prevent them from being exploited again or to help them recover more easily by understanding their post-scam behaviors. Learn more about the Psychology of Scams at www.ScamPsychology.org

Psychology Disclaimer:

All articles about psychology and the human brain on this website are for information & education only

The information provided in this article is intended for educational and self-help purposes only and should not be construed as a substitute for professional therapy or counseling.

While any self-help techniques outlined herein may be beneficial for scam victims seeking to recover from their experience and move towards recovery, it is important to consult with a qualified mental health professional before initiating any course of action. Each individual’s experience and needs are unique, and what works for one person may not be suitable for another.

Additionally, any approach may not be appropriate for individuals with certain pre-existing mental health conditions or trauma histories. It is advisable to seek guidance from a licensed therapist or counselor who can provide personalized support, guidance, and treatment tailored to your specific needs.

If you are experiencing significant distress or emotional difficulties related to a scam or other traumatic event, please consult your doctor or mental health provider for appropriate care and support.

Also read our SCARS Institute Statement about Professional Care for Scam Victims – click here to go to our ScamsNOW.com website.

If you are in crisis, feeling desperate, or in despair please call 988 or your local crisis hotline.