Protect Yourself from Online Harassment

Online harassment and privacy breaches are growing threats in today’s digital world. Cybercriminals target individuals using stolen data, phishing, and social media exposure. This guide will show you how to protect your online presence, secure your accounts, and minimize risks.

Before You Begin

What You’ll Learn

• How to secure your online information

• How to identify phishing attacks

• How to enable advanced protections for your email Accounts

• How to stay safe on social media

2. Secure Your Online Information

Create Strong Passwords

Your passwords are your first line of defense. The rise of Infostealer attacks means that a strong password cannot help, as it is nothing to crack. Test if your credentials are exposed by scanning your email and passwords at deleteme.com with the CyberDeleteme tool. You will need to register, which is free.

Tips for strong passwords:

• Use 8–12+ characters.

• Don’t reuse passwords across accounts.

• Combine uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols.

• Use acronyms from a memorable sentence. Example: “I got married on Oct. 4, best day of my life!” → Igmo104bdoml!

Enable Two-Step Verification (2SV)

2-Step Verification adds a critical layer of protection. For example, please enable it on your Email Account to require a code in addition to your password.

• Best protection: Use physical security keys instead of SMS codes.

• This is the strongest way to block phishing and malware-based attacks.

Remove Personal Information from People-Finder Websites

People-finder and data broker sites publish your name, phone, email, address, and sometimes even court or criminal records.

• You can request manual removals, but data often resurfaces.

• Save time and ensure results with Deleteme, a subscription service that removes and continuously monitors your personal information.

Keep Devices Updated

Always install system and app updates. Updates fix vulnerabilities, add security features, and prevent hackers from exploiting outdated software.

Audit Your Digital Footprint

Your personal information may already be circulating online. Perform a digital footprint audit or even a data breach scan and remove with deleteme.com, which scans emails, phone numbers, addresses, and data broker sites.

• Set up CyberDeleteme Alerts to get notifications when your name appears online. You need to register to activate. Registration is free.

Disable Location Tracking

Turn off GPS and geotagging on your devices and social media apps. Otherwise, every photo or post may reveal your exact location.

Limit Who Sees Your Posts

Set your profiles to private. Avoid sharing personal details like your location or answers to common security questions (e.g., “mother’s maiden name”).

Use a VPN on Public Wi-Fi

Public Wi-Fi is a hotspot for hackers. If you must connect, use a VPN to encrypt your connection and mask your IP address. This keeps your online actions private and secure.