Charlotte Man Lives In Fear As Stalker Impersonates Him Online
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Charlotte man is now scared to post to social media, all because a stalker is pretending to be him and won’t stop.
Estevan Torres said the harassment began in January of this year, when he noticed fake profiles using his name, pictures, and personal details began popping up across different social media sites.
“There is someone out there who’s pretending to be me,” Torres said.
He then started to hear from friends that these fake accounts were messaging them acting as Torres but saying hateful things.
He’s seen more than 15 fake accounts made by this this virtual stalker. The fake profiles are mostly made on an app called Sniffies.
It’s used for finding partners in the lgbtq+ community, and signing up only requires an email and age verification. Torres says he used it shortly but quit before his stalker began. Now that stalker is using the app to spreads lies.
Torres has reported these fake profiles to have them removed only to watch them be remade shortly after.
He’s not sure whose behind the accounts, and says he doesn’t feel he has enemies. He believes the user behind this knows everything about Torres, even where he lives and works.
Cyber security experts with Fortalice Solutions say harassment like this is surprisingly common.
“A lot of the times it’s someone that’s upset. It’s a revenge sort of tactic,” Julie Meunier, a spokesperson for Fortalice Solutions said.
It can be a hard battle but experts say it can be won by locking down all public accounts and investigating.
“Finding out who’s behind this and then serving…him or her, whoever it may be… a cease and desist,” Meunier said.
Torres has now gone private on all of his personal accounts. He’s much more picky with who he allows to follow Torres’ pages.
He did confront his stalker over direct message.
“They also mentioned, if you really know who this is, then text me, snap me message, call me, or I’ll never stop,” Torres said. “They have something against me, but I don’t know what it is. I don’t know who it is.”
Torres was told police cannot act until a threat is made, he’s now using a private investigator in hopes of identifying his stalker.
