Am I being stalked?

Cyberstalking is when someone follows or threatens someone online or uses mobile phones and GPS to spy on them. It can be hard to tell if someone is following you online. This article lists some warning signs for cyberstalking. We explain some first steps for protection and support. If you feel unsafe, write down what happened and get help from people you trust or the police.

Cyberstalking warning signs

• Your emails are being read by someone who isn’t the intended recipient.
• Someone knows your browser history (which websites you have visited).
• Someone seems to be tracking your location via GPS.
• You get calls or messages that are unkind and upsetting.
• Someone might be filming you, recording your voice or taking photos of you.
• Online bullying: People are saying untrue things on social media.

Cyberstalking? Ruling out other possible reasons

If you notice anything unusual, it doesn't necessarily mean something bad is going to happen. It is important to take notes about what you experience, when, and in which contexts. Write down your thoughts in a notebook, diary or notepad. This is a good idea if you are worried that someone is spying on your electronic devices. It can also be helpful later if you do report your observations to the police. Make sure you write down what you see as accurately as you can. Make a note of everything that happens. The reason for this is to create a timeline of what happened, which you can then give to the police, for example. People can't remember lots of things like that for very long.

Documenting potential cyberstalking: 11 key questions

• What did you notice?
• When did it happen?
• Where did it happen?
• Does this happen regularly?
• Does it only happen in certain situations?
• Is it possible that the observation is due to your software being outdated or incorrectly configured?
• Can you be sure that the problem is not due to an issue with your device (computer, smartphone, router, splitter)?
• Is it possible that a website or service is just broken and displaying strange things because of that?
• Do other people in your home or outside have access to your devices? Could they have changed them?
• Do you have any witnesses? Are there other people who witnessed the observations you made?
• In the case of health impairments: has a doctor examined and diagnosed them?

The techy bits

If you don't want anyone to see the websites you've visited, search 'Delete history' in your browser settings. Look for 'anonymous' or 'incognito' settings in your browser to surf 'invisibly'. Please make sure you never leave devices (smartphones or computers) unattended and remember to lock them.

If you're not sure if your (ex-)partner is using your computer (for example, with a keylogger, which saves all keystrokes and forwards them), don't change your computer's passwords. Instead, use the computer of a trusted friend or the public library. These often provide computer workstations. If this doesn't work, you should think about completely reinstalling your computer. Make copies of your emails, documents and photos before you start. Make a copy of your data and save it to a USB stick (backup). You can also get help with this from a computer service provider near you.

• Always lock your devices.
• Don't leave your technology alone.
• Use a public computer or a friend's phone.
• Browse in incognito mode.
• Make a copy of all your personal data and reset the device.
• Open new accounts using a safe email address and change old passwords.