What to do if you've been doxxed

Being doxxed means someone has gathered your personal details, like your home address, phone number, workplace or family members, and posted them to encourage others to target you. It’s frightening, and it isn’t your fault. There are clear steps you can take, and most of them can start today.

If you think you’re in immediate danger, call 911 or your local emergency number first.

1. Save the evidence

Before anything gets deleted, keep a record. It helps if you report it to a platform, your employer or the police.

• Take screenshots of each post, showing the date, the account name and the link.
• Copy the web address of each page into a document.
• Save threatening messages, emails and voicemails. Don’t reply to them.
• Write down when things happened, including calls or visits.

If it’s too much to look at, ask someone you trust to do this part for you.

2. Report the posts

• Report each post to the platform it’s on. Most social networks, forums and hosting companies ban posting someone’s private information, and many have a specific option for it.
• Ask Google not to show it. Google has a form for requesting removal of results that include doxxing content or personal contact details.
• Tell the police if there are threats, if someone has turned up at your home, or if you feel unsafe. Bring your evidence. Some places have laws specifically against doxxing.

3. Tell the people who need to know

• People you live with, so they know not to answer unexpected deliveries or visitors, and to tell you about anything odd.
• Your employer or security team, especially if the doxxing is about your work. Many organizations can help with security, legal advice and dealing with the platforms.
• Family whose details were posted, so they can take steps too.

4. Lock down your accounts

• Change passwords on your email and important accounts, and turn on two-step sign-in.
• Make your social media accounts private for now, and review who follows you.
• Ask your phone carrier for a port-out PIN or account lock, so nobody can move your number to their phone.
• Consider freezing your credit at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. In the US it’s free.

5. Shrink what else is out there

Whoever doxxed you found your details somewhere, and others can find them the same way. Once you’re safe, work out where the information is coming from and close it off:

• Opt out of people-search sites that list your address or phone number. See How to keep your home address private.
• Close or clean up old accounts that link your name to your username or city. See How old accounts and usernames give you away.
• Ask Google to stop showing your contact details with its Results about you tool.
• Look into your state’s address confidentiality program if you need a substitute address for public records.

Look after yourself

Being targeted is exhausting. Take breaks from reading what’s being said about you, and let someone else monitor it if you can. Organizations like the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative and, for journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists have resources for people facing online harassment.

How Oko helps

When you’re ready, Oko’s report shows what else a stranger could find about you and how, so you can see what else is still findable. It ranks the fixes so the ones that cut off routes to your home and phone come first, and a recheck later shows if anything has come back.