Blog Archive
This week I experienced a form of identity theft on Twitter. This is the first time in 30 years of dealing with the internet and computers that I have had this happen. So, I suppose I have, to some degrees, been fortunate.
It appears someone had taken my image, my name (minus the 'y') and the bio details of my long standing Twitter account and used them to create a new account which had over 160 people following it. Strangely some of them were already following me on my official account. What was worse was that the person tweeting on the account was leaving a phone number purporting to be offering writing services but she was in fact soliciting for men? I actually discovered her personal email by following the phone number through Google and finding an advert for her in an online American Newspaper!
After many emails shouting (literally) at Twitter, and having proven who I really was who I said I was, they finally accepted that the new account was bogus and removed it. I have to say how frustrating and annoying the whole process was but thankfully it is finished with.
Of course, the only problem now, is that it has left me feeling slightly paranoid which is something I normally never feel. So much so, that I have been double checking my name on every social media, search engine etc etc I can find. Just in case!! And, I've been going through all my accounts and resetting my passwords as well. Very time consuming to say the least. It's surprising, as an Author and Writer, just how many accounts one accumulates?
So remember people, take extra care and regularly check your details out there in the floating cloud! This internet can be lethal at times.