Have you seen the new You Netflix series? It tells the story of an online stalker who does everything to get closer to his prey. Well, in real life, things are not as extreme most of the time. But stalking is a real thing. It can happen even on your first date. Sometimes, we might not even comprehend someone is watching closely our social media. What if the person you started dating just yesterday already knows your shoe size, favorite music, or best friends’ names?
Not to frighten you, but stalking happens quite often. Stalking Resource Center provides shocking facts: 61% of women and 44% of men admitted to having been stalked at least once in a lifetime by a current or an ex-partner. What do you do in this situation?
Telltale Signs Your Date Stalks You
1. Calls From The Anonymous
If you have started dating someone or already broke up with a partner, you may start receiving strange calls at the ungodly time of the day. Usually, the other line hangs up as soon as you pick up the phone or tries to add you on social media from a fake account. Is it a prank? We don’t think so. Just think about it: one in six women and one in nineteen men have experienced the same anxiety from an unknown prankster who tries to pull up a Ring move on you. Stalkers violate boundaries, so testing your borders or just trying to hear your voice to make sure it’s your number would be enough for them. A stalker wants to scare, bamboozle, surprise, or control you by phoning your line and patiently waiting. Sounds creepy, we know. If you are bombarded by strange calls, please remain calm and call a National Stalker Helpline.
2. Strange Insta and Facebook invites
If you see that a fake Instagram account appeared right after you started dating (broke up) with a date, it is a sign you need to be more careful. You don’t have enough cues to address your problem directly, but it is a sign someone tries to stay unnamed. If you receive snaps, video calls, and likes from a weird account, feel free to block them or make users see your profile only after your approval.
3. They “Miraculously” Drop By
They may come to your place without warning, for no reason at all, or bring coffee to work, meet you at a party they weren’t invited to. This is a sure sign that a potential stalker has learned your schedule and is now using the acquired knowledge.
Sure, it’s sweet to suddenly meet your date outside the “romantic area” (your home, café, park, etc.) This can be a simple coincidence. But if things repeat with a weird frequency, i.e. when they drive by your house, walk into you at the university, dropped by your workplace, don’t think this is a sign of healthy admiration. Unless you work/study together or live in one area, what are the possibilities for daily meet your new date? You can call it love-bombing at best. At worst and most probable case scenario, they want to check on you to make sure you don’t cheat or talk behind their back. Any paranoid/controlling behavior should alert you. If you see your new friend talking walks around your block, you can surely call the cops on