“The stalker feels entitled to your attention and space,” explains Monica Amorosi, a licensed psychotherapist in New York. No matter how the stalking presents itself — even if it's a bouquet of flowers — the intention is to gain power and control over you.

U.S. federal laws apply to cyber crimes committed across state lines or using a channel of interstate communication (such as telephones or the internet). The principal federal laws in this area prohibit: Using the internet to severely harass or stalk someone. Making threats across state lines.