Cyberstalking and Abuse

Cyberstalking is the act of “using the Internet to harass, threaten, or intimidate another person” according to Chuck Easttom (2012). The following provides a synopsis of five recent cases where people have been convicted of cyberstalking or Internet fraud. Each case is analyzed for its relevance in contemporary legal issues, as well as any laws that pertain to the case.

Cyberstalking Abuse and Fraud Cases

According to John de Leon (2013), on December 17th 2013, a Seattle police detective name David Blackmer pleaded guilty to charges of cyberstalking and domestic violence. Blackmer was having an affair with a woman he met on a dating website, but the relationship soured, and the woman went over to the detective’s home to tell his wife about the affair. When she did, Blackmer grabbed her by the throat and threw her to the ground. After she left, the detective created a fake Facebook account in the woman’s name and posted nude photos of her that had been taken during the affair. Due to the conviction of domestic violence, Blackmer will no longer be permitted to own a firearm, and will most likely lose the ability to work as a police officer. This case illustrates how Facebook is often used as a tool for revenge and malicious behavior.

In 1996 a woman named Jane Hitchcock became the target of a group that was scamming people by posing as literary agents. When she realized that the person she was communicating with was a fraud, Jane contacted the authorities to stop the group. In retaliation, the group began to slander Jane over the Internet, and posted her address and phone number in an attempt to cause her harm. Now Jane is the president of an organization that helps victims of online abuse. According to Davar Ardalan and Laura...

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...s, So Does Online Harassment. Retrieved December 21, 2013 from http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=18429922

Astor, W. (2013). Moldavian man admits to Internet scam. Retrieved December 21, 2013 from http://www.rbj.net/article.asp?aID=203825

De Leon, J. (2013). SPD officer pleads guilty to cyberstalking ex-mistress. Retrieved December 21, 2013 from http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2013/12/spd-officer-pleads-guilty-to-cyberstalking-ex-mistress/

Easttom, C. (2012). Computer security fundamentals. Indianapolis. Pearson.

Fox19. (2013). Covington man pleads guilty to internet fraud. Retrieved December 21, 2013 from http://www.fox19.com/story/24063399/melvin-dietz-of-covington-pleads-guilty-to-internet-fraud

Thompson, S. (2013). Oldsmar man pleads guilty to cyberstalking. Retrieved December 21, 2013 from http://tbo.com/article/20131217/ARTICLE/131219302