In today‘s digital age, protecting your personal information online is more important than ever. One of the most sinister threats to your privacy and security is doxxing – the act of researching and publishing private or identifying information about someone on the internet, typically with malicious intent.
Doxxing has become an increasingly common tactic used to harass, threaten, or shame people. By exposing sensitive personal details online like your full name, address, phone number, employer, or compromising photos/videos, doxxers aim to cause distress and real-world consequences for their targets.
One way doxxers obtain personal information is by accessing the target‘s online accounts, such as email. Your email account likely contains a trove of private data that could be weaponized if exposed. This is why it‘s crucial to maintain tight control over your digital footprint and close any accounts you no longer need.
If you have an old Yahoo email account that you no longer use, deleting it can help reduce your risk of being doxxed. In this guide, we‘ll walk you through the process of permanently deleting your Yahoo account step-by-step. We‘ll also share some other important measures you can take to minimize your digital footprint and protect yourself against doxxing.
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Delete Your Yahoo Account
Before proceeding, be aware that deleting your Yahoo account is permanent and irreversible. Make sure you‘ve backed up any important emails or attachments you want to keep. You‘ll also lose access to other Yahoo services associated with the account.
Here‘s how to close your Yahoo account for good:
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Sign in to your Yahoo account. If you haven‘t logged in for a while, you may need to go through additional verification steps.
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Once logged in, navigate to the "Delete My Account" page: http://login.yahoo.com/account/delete-user
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Read through the information about deleting your account. Take note of the services and data you will lose access to.
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Tick the box to acknowledge that you‘ve read and agree with the information provided.
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Click "Continue" to move forward with the account deletion.
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On the next page, provide a secondary email address where Yahoo will send you a verification code. This is to confirm it‘s really you requesting the account deletion. Click "Yes, send me an Account Key" to get the code.
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Check the secondary email inbox for a message from Yahoo with the subject line "Yahoo Account Key". Open it and copy the 8-digit verification code.
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Back on the Yahoo delete account page, paste in the Account Key code and click "Verify".
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After verifying, click the "Delete My Account" button to complete the process. Your Yahoo account and all its data will be permanently erased within about 40 days. The account sign-in will stop working immediately.
Other Steps to Protect Yourself Against Doxxing
Deleting old accounts like Yahoo is a good start, but there are several other actions you can take to safeguard your personal information online and reduce the risk of being doxxed:
1. Delete other unused accounts.
Go through all the online services and sites you‘ve signed up for over the years (social media, forums, apps, etc.) and close the accounts you no longer need. The fewer accounts with your personal info floating around, the better.
2. Remove yourself from data broker sites.
Many companies called data brokers scrape personal information from public records and online sources, then sell that data. Do a search of yourself on sites like Whitepages, Spokeo, BeenVerified to see if any of your info shows up. If so, go through their opt-out process to get it removed.
3. Use strong, unique passwords.
For the accounts you do keep, protect them with strong passwords that are long and use a mix of characters. Each account should have its own unique password. Using a password manager can help you create and securely store complex passwords.
4. Enable two-factor authentication.
Adding an extra layer of login security with 2FA makes it much harder for anyone to hack into your accounts. With 2FA enabled, you‘ll need to enter a code from your phone or authenticator app in addition to your password to sign in.
Be very selective about what personal information you share publicly on social media sites. Keep your profiles locked down with the highest privacy settings and only accept friend/follow requests from people you know and trust in real life.
6. Be cautious what you post online.
Before posting anything online, consider how it could potentially be used against you if seen by the wrong person. Avoid sharing your full name, exact location, birthday, and other personal details. Think twice before posting controversial opinions or engaging in online arguments.
What to Do if You‘re a Victim of Doxxing
If you do find yourself the target of a doxxing attack, here are the steps you should take:
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Document everything. Take screenshots of any posts, messages, or sites where your personal info is being shared. Save copies of any threatening or harassing communications. This evidence will be important for reporting the attack and getting the content removed.
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Report it to the platforms. Contact the support teams for any websites or apps where your information is being posted and request that they remove the content for violating their policies. Most sites prohibit posting people‘s private info without consent.
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Get the authorities involved. If the doxxing incident has escalated to threats, stalking, or harassment, report it to your local law enforcement. You should also contact the FBI‘s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
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Alert your employer, family, and friends. Give the important people in your life a heads up about the doxxing attack, in case they also start receiving threatening messages from the perpetrator.
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Lock down your accounts. If you suspect any of your accounts have been breached, change the passwords immediately. Keep a close eye on your bank/credit card statements for any suspicious activity and report it right away.
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Seek support. Doxxing attacks can be frightening, violating, and traumatic experiences. Be sure to take care of your mental health and reach out for support from friends, family, or professionals during this time.
The Legalities of Doxxing
While there is no federal law that specifically makes doxxing illegal, there are other laws that may apply in doxxing cases depending on the circumstances, such as:
- Harassment
- Stalking
- Extortion
- Cyberbullying
- Threatening
- Conspiracy
- Identity theft
- Invasion of privacy
A number of states like California have also passed laws criminalizing certain forms of doxxing. Ultimately, if a doxxing victim faces real-world harassment, threats, or other criminal acts enabled by their personal info being posted online, the perpetrator could face serious legal consequences.
Be Proactive About Protecting Your Privacy
In our modern world, sadly, the possibility of being doxxed is a reality everyone with an online presence must face. Taking action now to minimize your digital footprint, like deleting old Yahoo and other accounts you don‘t use anymore, can help reduce your risk.
Stay vigilant about guarding your personal information and be very cautious about what you post and share online. The smaller a target you make yourself, the less likely you‘ll end up in a doxxer‘s crosshairs. If you do become the victim of doxxing, know that there are steps you can take to mitigate the damage, hold the perpetrator accountable, and get support.
Prioritizing your online privacy is a critical part of safely navigating today‘s digital landscape. Taking protective measures like closing unused accounts is well worth the effort for your security and peace of mind.
