| It's easy nowadays-thanks to social networking sites | | | | the field of private investigation. |
| like Friendster, MySpace, Facebook, and so forth-to | | | | It's also wise to save and print offending pages so that |
| actually know more people online than you do in real | | | | you'll have hard copies in your private possession that |
| life. And just like in real life, online friendships and | | | | could later be called upon as evidence should matters |
| relationships can vary rather widely; some people are | | | | escalate and the police become involved. In any event, |
| close and others are friends of friends simply offering | | | | do not intentionally do anything that will escalate the |
| kind words now and then. Sometimes, like in real life, an | | | | matter, so that if experts become involved you'll have |
| online friendship can go bad and an old friend is now | | | | an air-tight case that illustrates you did not do anything |
| someone who disdains you and/or vice versa. | | | | to make matters worse for yourself. |
| Usually, when a real life friendship turns bitter, we can | | | | If you decide to hire a private investigator to trace and |
| choose to avoid the person we aren't happy with - but | | | | identify a Myspace account holder be sure to do your |
| online relationships don't possess the same sorts of | | | | homework. Before deciding on an investigator or PI |
| barriers to protect you from that person you no longer | | | | agency check to see if they are recognized as |
| visiting your websites to spy on you. It can be | | | | experts in Internet investigations and email tracing. Do a |
| disconcerting to think about! | | | | Google search on the company and name of the |
| Most people who have MySpace stalkers typically | | | | investigator to make sure they are recognized as an |
| contact the site's administrative team and complain, | | | | expert in Myspace tracing and email investigations. |
| and while the MySpace team tends to be fairly reliable | | | | Last check out the pricing and turn around times for |
| at closing problem accounts they can't prevent your | | | | the results. Are they competitive? Beware of |
| stalker from simply creating another account within a | | | | companies that are too cheap and offer "instant" |
| few minutes! | | | | searches. This information will almost always be |
| Another option is to hire a professional investigator | | | | inaccurate and out dated. Be leery if you see a site |
| who specializes in cases that pertain to the internet | | | | offering "unlimited" searches for one low price. If it |
| and defamation. A private investigator, for example, | | | | looks too good to be true it usually is. |
| usually are also well-versed in tracing individuals via | | | | You don't have to be a victim to a Myspace bully. You |
| email, and can help locate and 'out' a MySpace stalker. | | | | have every right to be able to enjoy the Internet and |
| Should you decide to hire a private investigator, be | | | | socialize with whomever you wish. But it's important to |
| sure to do a little background research into the PI's | | | | be careful and safe while on the Internet. That's why |
| credentials; you can usually do such background | | | | it's so important to identify and locate anyone that you |
| research online, incidentally, and you'll discover rather | | | | consider to be a threat to your safety and well being. |
| quickly whether or not his or her name is recognized in | | | | |