I think you have to use your common sense. If a guy from Florida tells me he is comeing to get me, and I have never talked to him before, how is he going to find me? My screen name is not my real name.... I have no pics of my child, akron Ohio has about a bizzillion people in it.

The guy from Akron Ohio, I might take a bit more seriously. But then people lie on here too...so I guess you don't know.

I had a crazy ex who when we would get into a fight would text me the alphabet just to use up my texts.... I turned my phone off, then they didn't come through.

Lily brings up a very real and valid point. Please use common sense and never give out your phone number.

I don't consider any emails or IMs to be stalking. It is so easy to take care of the problem yourself. Just delete and report as spam.

Heck, most people don't even know what it's like to be stalked. People thinking this minor stuff is stalking is like the old lady that sued McDonalds because she got burned when she spilled her coffee on her lap. Heck, under the description that most of these posts say what stalking is every company that sends junk mail(US Postal) to your mail box is a stalker.

I hate junk mail..... Damn stalker....

Lily,

Right now there is a bill in congress about junk mail. You have heard of the 'Do not call" list? It's kind of the same thing. The problem is.....if it passes it will drive up the cost of stamps......and then put the US Mail out of business. It will also put most printing companies out of business.
Why would you want to do that when it is so easy just to throw junk mail away?

Think it is intent, rather than quantity. Just one email? Hey..that is easily lost, accidentally deleted, read -intent to respond-but get sidetracked, etc.

Now - if you have told them after 'x' number of emails and IMs to please do not contact you personally - (email and IM not being a public forum) and they persist in confessing undying love - okay - you might have a problem here. Same with phone.

They start showing up at your house inappropriately? Okay..WAY across the line there. Probably time to have some involvement by others.

Some are a bit quick to pull out the 'stalking' label - two emails are definitely NOT stalking you, unless they are WAY WAY WAY out there.
Might want to keep in mind, this can be a serious charge, legalisticly.

I was kidding, my condo has trash cans at the mailboxes just so you don't have to take your jumk mail into your house.... then they recycle it....

I think if you get to know the person giving your # is okay.
I have talked to a lot of people from here on the phone. They sometimes gave me their # without me asking for it, or sometimes I gave my # and then they called me. We talk on occassion and hope to meet in July at the gathering that is planned

Lily,

Thank You. I own a printing business. With all the American companies that are choosing to get their printing done over seas, the American printers need all the help they can get.

Bassman, thankyou for bringing up this up. Are you a postal worker? do you send junk mail that nobody wants?

oh hell, we send everything over seas...soon we are going to have to ship ourselves over seas just for survival..

but back on topic.

I had an ex that was certifiable, broke into my house, so do I pay alot of attention to a random email...no, do I pay attention to cars that are parked in my lot with people in them...YES. If you don't like that someone emails you or calls you, tell them to stop. If they don't get harsher and harsher with them, but until they actually do something, no one is going to "protect" you anyways... not even the cops...trust that!!

So you have to learn how to be authoritive, and ladies stop with the "I'm being a lady, i'm being nice" If you don't like what someone else does or says to you.... you hold the power to make it stop....

Quit stalking me Lily.

uhm, then quite replying to my texts goof.....

Ummmmm.....you said they did not constitute stalking. You lied.

I've been in a situation where I was very uncomfortable. Not with someone from online. But a person I dated. When I ended things I was told " I'm not going to accept your decision " That totally blew my mind. I was like excuse me? You don't have any other choice. The decision was mine to make and I did make it. I started getting 5 or more phone calls a day at home. I wouldn't answer the phone. The messages left on my answering machine? CRAZY! Then he started calling at work. I told work not to take any calls for me unless they ( the person calling ) knew my code word. Then it was showing up at my work, waiting in my car. It was nuts. I was afraid to leave my kids at home when I was working so I took them to family members places so they wouldnt be home alone. Finally? I told this person that I had saved every email. Every phone message, every offline, and had a statement from security at work and that if they ever contacted me in any way shape or form that I would press charges against them for harrassment and stalking. I have not heard back from this person again.

Not sure if that constitutes stalking. I would more say harrassment. Since nothing physical ever happened other than giving me the heebie jeebies.

Don't stalkers always lie???

hmmm well in my case, although on line he was still a threat. Met him in a widowed chat room, saw him there every night, became friends, and I gave him my ph#. Turned out to be a registered sex offender. Since he had my ph# he then got my home address and letters started coming in snail mail. He'd told several people he was coming here. So No bassman it's not as simple as you think.....hitting the delete button. It can become scary if you trusted the wrong type of person.

My point being...and I do have one lol, is even on some sites on line (like a widowed site for grief suppport) the seems like a "safe" place, you still need to be very careful what information you give out and to whom.