Those of you who read my announcement the other day will know that one of our IRL-stalking members has reappeared.

So I thought I'd write a 'how to play safe on totse' guide. I'm posting it as a thread and not an announcement so people can add things I have forgotten and questions be answered.

So...

How does a E-stalker track you down?

Probably the first thing he'll do is get you to email him.

You won't believe how many people use their real name or their maiden name when they open an email account and of course it gets sent with the email!

But you didn't, cos you're a bit savvy?

Well

You won't see it normally but hidden in your email is an 'address'.

Often this address will only tell him who provides your internet access (ie Expensive Calls R Us.inc Georgia or something like that) but that at least helps him narrow down the search to an area of the country or just confirms the 'Georgia' (or where ever) that you posted in your profile.

BUT if you post from a company office, a Library, a school, a college etc then its very likely that that hidden address will tell him that.

Here an example of what I mean. This was the hidden part of an email I received from someone at a college in the UK.

MIME-Version: 1.0
Received: from exchange01.campus.ccn.ac.uk ([194.***.***.***]) by mc4-f22.hotmail.com with Microsoft SMTPSVC(6.0.3790.211); Fri, 4 Mar 2005 06:08:10 -0800
X-Message-Info: JGTYoYF78jHtO8CtSCPI2/l1WNB/QITTN7kHuJ3e+xw=
Priority: normal
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1409
Content-Class: urn:content-classes:message
X-MS-Has-Attach:
X-MS-TNEF-Correlator:
Thread-Topic: RE:
thread-index: AcUfwPeWTSkiRPODTGy8Qz/zRJzQTgBAaxmQ
Return-Path: ************@ccn.ac.uk
X-OriginalArrivalTime: 04 Mar 2005 14:08:10.0563 (UTC) FILETIME=[98E2A930:01C520C3]

Google tells me that 'ccn' means its 'City College' in Norwich. And even if it didn't then the 194.*** bit would. I simply put the number that was there (the stars are mine because we shouldn't post numbers like this on totse) into whats called an 'IP lookup' and bingo :


netname: NOR-CTY-COL01
descr: Norwich City College of Further and Higher Education
country: GB
admin-c: MM950-RIPE


Now that college has probably several hundred computers on several different sites so that alone may not help him too much but a small public library or internet cafe and all he needs to do is be there often enough to work out who you are (he can be emailing you from his cell phone).


So how do you check?

Go to http://www.dnsstuff.com/ .At the very top of the page it says Your IP: 86.***.**.** (your number will different to mine and have no stars!)

Copy that number and paste it into the box labelled IPWHOIS Lookup (scroll down the page).

That will bring up reams of goobledegook but just scan through it to see if anything there identifies where you are.

For example, mine brings up this:

Generated by www.DNSstuff.com

Location: United Kingdom [City: London, England]

ARIN says that this IP belongs to RIPE; I'm looking it up there.

Using 0 day old cached answer (or, you can get fresh results).
Hiding E-mail address (you can get results with the E-mail address).

% This is the RIPE Whois query server #1.
% The objects are in RPSL format.
%
% Rights restricted by copyright.
% See http://www.ripe.net/db/copyright.html

% Information related to '
inetnum:
remarks: ************************************************** ****
remarks: * Please send abuse reports to *****@btbroadband.com *
remarks: ************************************************** ****
netname: BT-CENTRAL-PLUS
descr: IP pools
country: GB
admin-c: BTCP1-RIPE
tech-c: BTCP1-RIPE

Which simply tells them that my internet provider is in London (which is 21/2 hours drive from where i am now, even the way I drive!)
So no danger there then.

2. The next thing you need to make sure is YOU USE YOUR TOTSE NAME ON TOTSE AND NOWHERE ELSE. Of course, we all do it. I'm jackketch in several places on the net.

But don't.

You see the next trick for a E-stalker is to punch your username into google. He'll find and read all those things you posted on other boards maybe 10 years ago!

Like those posts where you mention your mum's first name is Patricia or whatever or you live not far from the biggest windmill in the whole of Holland.

Never forget that for an online public records/white pages search all he needs is a surname and a town!. This includes things like your post on 'chattering_teens'dot com five years ago
that your dad is a builder and you listed your real home town in your profile.

Can you remember all the crap you've said online over the last 5 years? I can't, as someone proved to me here the other day by posting one of my 'real' first names.


3.NEVER post your Birthdate online! This includes saying 'its my birthday today' because you can be sure someone is going to ask you 'how old are you'. If you answer that honestly then you have damn near given a would be stalker the keys to the kingdom. After a surname and a town then a date of birth and a town are the next best thing. If you want us to congratulate you on your birthday then just lie a little, we'll forgive you.

4. Maybe for the slightly older women here but if you've ever posted something like ' I grew up in Chickenshit Alabama' then you can bet he'll be checking 'Friends Reunited'.

5. Consider this example,please. We had a female board member who was paranoid about giving out any personal details. But one day she let slipped that she had worked years ago for someone semi-famous. As she had also told us that she was a ginger...how many phone calls do you think it would have taken a stalker to track her down?

Ok, that all that occurs off the top of my head. I'm sure i'll add to this.

And before you think 'duh, thank you Captain Obvious, no shit Sherlock' believe me, common sense isn't as common as it should be...especially after that second glass of wine late at night posting on totse.

(to all the women who know damn well what an IP address is I apologise, i just want to keep this real simple)

SO LIE A LITTLE! Please! I want everyone here to feel they can post openly and freely BUT just 'muddy the waters' a bit, yeah?

So what, this guy is tracking people down and showing up at their house!?

We've had all sorts here before.

We've had all sorts here before.

Yeah but some dude showing up at your house is crazy.

Are there any stories behind this?

Would I be right in saying this is more of a thing for women to watch out for?

E-Stalkers are more likely to try and stalk a woman because of attraction etc. and possible vulnerability. I mean most guys an probably handle themselves if they're stalked.

Several in the time I have been modding this forum but no I'm not going to post details.

Just reading my announcements since the new software should give you an idea of some of the things that have come up.

I can't remember yet having had a 'this crazy chick is stalking me' email but its only a matter of time i guess.

the new software

Speaking of that, it's now incredibly easy to find information that people have posted before, with the "all posts" search function.

Speaking of that, it's now incredibly easy to find information that people have posted before, with the "all posts" search function.

Exactly!!

That was part of the impetus for this thread.

I've found some of the old announcements using it :|

Has the password stealing script been fixed with the new software?

I can't remember yet having had a 'this crazy chick is stalking me' email but its only a matter of time i guess.

God willing...

Is it sad that just from the 86 at the beginning of your Ip that I knew that you use bt broadband?

Ah well, i guess the only purpose for this forum is confirming that I wont get any ^_^

There is a reason I keep a loaded shotgun under my bed!

to shoot me some stalkers!

Thankfully I have no stalkee-worthy qualities, so even though a half brain dead gold fish could find exactly where I am and install cameras and watch my...oh fuck, is that A HOLE IN MY FUCKING WALL WHAT THE FUCK.

which one of you did it? :(

Yeah but some dude showing up at your house is crazy.

Exactly...One of the things that make the "crazy people" crazy...Mr "I'm from Hertfordshire"...I could take a train and be at your front door within a couple hours or so!

Change it mate!

I was curious :(

Thankfully i have no worthy characteristics for a stalker, i've wondered on more than one occasion what someone would think of me from listening to me through mic's or if they watch me from afar....and in all honesty they'd think im retarded.

I feel sorry for anyone that has had some stalker guy coming at them from &t because that would be a bit weird....well a lot weird

i hate it when people have to make shit complicated >:[

It's hard to believe that there are people who would go through all that trouble...and creepy :p


<3

Sorry :(

I did try and keep it as simple and non techy as possible....you know, calling it 'hidden address' and not 'email header IP listing' type things?

Sorry :(

I did try and keep it as simple and non techy as possible....you know, calling it 'hidden address' and not 'email header IP listing' type things?

oh, not you, mr pet cemetary for making me have to go and fiddle with my profile. i guess an accurate location, age, date of birth, occupation, interests and myspace wasn't very anonymous :]

This announcement goes for totseans who engage in extra-legal activities as well.

One would hope that any of our more nefarious brethern would already know the Golden Rule:

The moment you turn on the internet you are opening your electronic thighs for anyone to come and fuck you.

i live in fuckin Romania, a piece of shit country that 99% of you stupid assholes don't know where it is, and even if some nigger would find out where i live, i'd fuckin crack their skull with an iron bar before they can even think of stalkin/ blackmailin me.

Exactly...One of the things that make the "crazy people" crazy...Mr "I'm from Hertfordshire"...I could take a train and be at your front door within a couple hours or so!

Change it mate!

Shit, lol.
But Herts is a big county, but I see what you mean.

The fact you live somewhere where any online information isn't automatically in English is an added protection.

Most people probably think Romania is a slavic country.

Shit, lol.
But Herts is a big county

Ya think?

But Herts

lulzs

I must be the only person who likes the idea of being stalked. It must be because I'm a loser. But it seems kinky.

I think it would be funny if some random totsean turned up at my house, said "Y HALO THAR" and went away.

Actually, I might do that sometime when I'm bored.

You mean you havent jumped to England and started living off of our state yet since joining the EU?

Man, you must be the only person left in Romania.

You mean you havent jumped to England and started living off of our state yet since joining the EU?

Man, you must be the only person left in Romania.

hah... fuck

all the fuckin romanian thieves and assholes who started invading the decent european countries piss me off. See, if i wanna visit/ live in a country other than my own, i automatically get the odd looks and shit because of those cunts, even if i'm a decent goddamn person. "Watch out, he's fuckin romanian! keep ya hands on the wallets"

see, those are the kind of people that need to be stalked and killed off!

time for a bitch&moan thread, damn it.

You guys make good AKs. Send more :)


Anyway, this is all good advice jackketch. Other good advice to everyone is to start packing heat, you never know when you may need it, that's not for everyone though.

Jackketch: you realise you just wrote a how-to guide for prospecting stalkers, right?

yes but the information is also known to anyone who has ever done more with a pc than just click 'da puurdy pix'...

Would I be right in saying this is more of a thing for women to watch out for?

Yes, but it's no reason to get lazy. Someone can easily find out what you look like, what you're into, where you live, your phone number and all that if you piss them off on a forum, give them lip on IRC or kick their ass on counter strike.

Has the password stealing script been fixed with the new software?

Yes. Some people finding themselves logging out all the time should change their browser settings that were set to combat the old bug. The problem was that the old forum was written in the days before cookie stealing was big so kept passwords lying around in it. Plus it was easy to steal the cookies.

Is it sad that just from the 86 at the beginning of your Ip that I knew that you use bt broadband?

Everyone knows the major ISP address suffixs. :p

I want a stalker...

Truely scary stuff. I'm going to stop posting my full name and D.O.B in myspace quizes lol.

im laughing my ass of at this.

my email is my fullname =[

i need some condoms

I use my real name in my e-mail. But then I've changed my real name so many times over the years, that my e-mail address's don't stay around that long.

and my msn e-mail was shut down 5-6 years ago, but I can still sign in and use it.

yes but the information is also known to anyone who has ever done more with a pc than just click 'da puurdy pix'...

Well then there's no point explicitly stating all of it here then, is there? ;P

And you're helping non-electronically-literate stalkers (of which there are plenty).