023ISSUE 32OFFGRIDWEB.COMOnce you’ve opened this tool, simply type
in “netstat –an” and press enter. Providing
that you have an active connection with
the end user, their IP address should then
appear after a short period of time. Before
executing this command, ensure that you’ve
closed any other windows and browser
sessions as other IP addresses could be
returned also that could be confusing.
By obtaining the IP address, you can then
do as you wish with it and even report it to
Facebook if you feel that the user requires
a ban or disciplinary action.” Source:
http://www.hotspotshield.com.
If messaging through your phone: Your
mobile phone uses an IP address every
time you engage someone through a mes-
saging app, such as WhatsApp and Viber.
Messaging app usage is growing incredibly
fast. Your IP address is invisible to the per-
son you message, but if-and-when you click
on a link in a message, the website you sent
it to has access to your IP address. Source:
https://whatismyipaddress.com/get-ip.
Even though I may have covered my bases
as best I can, sometimes the online threat is
someone you know. Let’s say approximately
one month ago I was contacted by an ex who
I dated in my early 20s. Surely water under
the bridge and harmless to accept a friend
request, right? If I immediately recognized the
communication was inappropriate and left
feeling uneasy by the little contact we’d had,
I’d start by researching my ex through social
media and via internet search tools to see
if any red flags come up. If I noted posts on
social medial that confirmed my suspicion of
a potentially unstable individual, I’d share my
findings with my spouse. After conferring with
him, we’d continue to monitor the situation,
feeling that further intervention may entice or
infuriate him.
If things drastically escalated, it’d leave
me and my family with no choice but to
seek police intervention. In preparation of
documenting everything with the police,
I’d gather copies of all the online interac-
tions, including social media and messag-
ing. I’d also download my mobile phone
records to confirm incoming phone calls.
I’d start by filing a police report. Once it
was filed, I’d ask for an emergency restrain-
ing order, seeking no further contact. An
emergency restraining order can be filed
as long as the petitioner was a domestic
partner at one time. Police intervention is
only the beginning. A restraining order is
just a piece of paper asking for no contact
— it’s not a guaranteed safeguard from an
individual who believes they’re above the
law. Because my initial actions may trigger
additional threatening behavior, there are
still a number of things to do to keep myself
and my family safe.Home safety
I’d call a family meeting to openly discuss
the threat to the family, making sure that
everyone understood the gravity of the
situation. We’d establish a safety plan for
my spouse, me, and our children. We have
a home security system and motion-sensor
lighting, but adding cameras to the exterior
and perimeter of the home would provide us
some additional layers of safety. The family
would utilize the buddy system, ensuring
there were no gaps where a single member
of the household might find themselves
alone until the threat is dispelled.Workplace Safety
Requesting a private meeting with my
direct supervisor to tell him about the threat,
making sure he is fully aware of the severity
and recent escalation of behavior, would also
be a smart move to document the situation
and raise awareness to protect myself and
fellow employees. Making sure that building
security personnel are also aware of the risk
would be another recommended action. Tell a
close friend at work what’s happening and ask
him/her to buddy up with you while walking to
and from the parking lot.School Safety
In anticipation of a possible stalker who
could’ve gleaned enough info from your
social media profile that’d lead to a confron-tation with your children when you’re not
present, call a meeting with your children’s
teachers, principal, and school resource
officer. Bring them a copy of the police
report and restraining order, and explain
the situation, asking for their help in protect-
ing the children while they’re under school
supervision. Have an entry and exit plan to
the school to ensure the children are only
coming and going with an approved family
member. If your child is involved in after-
school activities, make sure the staff knows
about the potential threat to the family and
that the only persons permitted to pick up
and drop off the children are you and your
husband, unless otherwise specified by the
two of you.Personal Safety
I’d also reaffirm my personal defense
plan. I have a concealed carry license and
choose to carry a firearm when feasible.
Unfortunately, there are places I can’t le-
gally carry, such as work and my children’s
school. Because of this, I need to make sure
I have a plan in place for the gaps in my
safety plan. This could include freshening
up on my defensive shooting skills by jump-
ing in a class, finding a trainer in hand-to-
hand combat, and making an appointment
with a counselor for a mental health check
— having a threat invade your personal
space can be very taxing on you mentally.
Unfortunately, the behavior of others
isn’t something we can control, but we can
control how we respond to it. Being hyper-
vigilant about personal security as well as
online security is now more important than
ever. The click of a mouse is a decision
that takes seconds, but could catastrophi-
cally affect you and your family’s lives as
you know it. If you could predict the future
and see that allowing an outsider access
to a seemingly innocent social media page
could potentially change your life as you
know it, would you still do it? Most wouldn’t.
When it comes to posting, less is more,
especially when it comes to inviting prying
eyes with maligned intentions.W H AT
IF?