Doxxing is the publication of someone’s private details, such as a home address, phone number, workplace or children’s school, to invite harassment. Executives, physicians, public officials and anyone in a bitter dispute can become a target, and so can their families.
Where the information comes from
Very little of it is stolen. Most is collected from sources that are legal and public.
- People-search websites that compile addresses, relatives and phone numbers.
- Property, court and corporate records.
- Social media, especially posts by family members, tagged locations and photos of a house or a car.
- Fitness and location apps that publish regular routes.
- Data breaches that exposed old passwords, emails and phone numbers.
Reducing your exposure
- Search for yourself the way an attacker would. Name, phone number, address and usernames, one at a time.
- Opt out of people-search sites. Each has its own removal process, and listings return, so repeat it.
- Keep your home address out of new records. Ask your attorney about using a business address, an LLC or a trust for filings and property.
- Bring the family in. A teenager’s public account often gives away more than a parent’s.
- Separate public from private. Use a different phone number and email for anything customer-facing.
- Secure the accounts. Unique passwords and two-step sign-in stop a doxxing from becoming an account takeover.
If it has already happened
Save everything before you report it: the post, the account, the web address and the date. Report it to the platform. If there is a threat, file a police report and tell your employer’s security team and your family. Do not reply to the person who posted it.
Then have the threat assessed. Most doxxing is meant to frighten; some of it is preparation. PMR Group International assesses threats, identifies the people behind anonymous accounts and preserves evidence for police and legal action. Contact us in confidence.
