Let’s be real for a second. When you hear about someone getting their email hacked, you usually picture a very specific, slightly annoying scenario. You imagine someone halfway across the globe using your saved credit card to buy a dozen high-end blenders, or maybe sending an automated email to your entire contact list with a sketchy link to “miracle weight-loss pills.”
It’s an inconvenience. You call your bank, you change your password to something that looks like a cat walked across your keyboard, and you move on with your life.
I wish that was the kind of hack I experienced but it wasn’t.
Over the last couple of months, my life has felt less like a minor tech glitch and more like the plot of a deeply unhinged Lifetime movie. I’m writing this post to clear the air, share a massive PSA, and honestly, just to vent, because dealing with this has been a full-time job I never applied for.
The Reality of Having My Personal Emails Hacked
Here is the wild, ridiculous truth: My personal email addresses were hacked. But the person who got in didn’t want my money. They wanted to wear my life like a creepy digital skin suit.
Once they got into my emails, they went to work. They created multiple fake accounts on those free burner texting apps. Armed with these fake numbers, they started going rogue. They began texting and emailing people I know—and, awkwardly, people I purposefully want no association with—claiming to be a “friend” of mine.
The Burner App Harassment Campaign
And when I say they went rogue, I mean they dug deep into the archives. They didn’t just stop at my current circle of friends. Oh no. They have literally been contacting my exes. Yes, my exes. Do you have any idea how deeply mortifying it is to realize that someone you dated years ago—and happily left in the past—is suddenly getting unhinged texts from a burner number claiming to have “information” about me? It’s like a terrible, involuntary reunion tour that absolutely nobody bought tickets for.
Contacting Everyone From My Past
But wait, there’s more! It’s not just the exes. It is everyone. People I know now, people I knew a decade ago, old coworkers, distant acquaintances… it’s like this person found the guestbook to my entire life and decided to cold-call every single signature. Who actually has the energy for this?
Imagine sitting on your couch on a Tuesday, and you get a text from a random number saying, “Hey, I’m a friend of Tina’s, and I have some information about her.”
First of all, what is this, Gossip Girl? Who actually has the free time to play amateur espionage with someone else’s social circle? They have been straight-out harassing people, stirring up drama, and acting like they have the inside scoop on my life. It is deeply weird, incredibly invasive, and honestly, pathetic.
The Plot Twist: I Know Exactly Who Is Stalking Me
Now, for the plot twist. You’d think the internet is completely anonymous, right? Wrong. Turns out, when you are motivated by sheer panic and absolute rage, you can do some pretty impressive digital sleuthing.
I found out exactly who is doing this. I have their location. And the kicker? It’s not some random cybercriminal in a dark basement. It’s someone from my past.
This is someone I cut ties with a long time ago. Someone I have zero association with anymore, who has apparently decided that since they aren’t in my life, they are just going to obsessively watch it from the outside. They have been stalking me, monitoring what I do, and trying to insert themselves back into my world by harassing literally everyone around me. It’s the definition of living rent-free in someone’s head, but frankly, I’d like to file an eviction notice.
My Digital Deep-Clean and Security Updates
So, I’ve spent the last few weeks doing a massive, exhausting digital deep-clean. Here is where we stand today:
- Total Lockdown: I have changed every single password on every single email account, social media platform, and app I own. Two-factor authentication is now my best friend.
- Taking Out the Trash: I have personally contacted the support teams for the texting apps this person was using to impersonate me. I informed them of the harassment, proved it wasn’t me, and had those accounts nuked from orbit.
The Death of the 562 Area Code
The Big One: I NO LONGER HAVE THE 562 NUMBER. That last point is crucial. To completely sever this bizarre digital umbilical cord, I had to get a brand new phone number. RIP to the 562 area code; we had a good run, but it was time to let it go
The Final PSA: How to Spot the Fake Tina
If you are reading this, please take this to heart:
If you have received any weird messages, texts, or emails in the last couple of months from someone claiming to be me, or claiming to be a “friend” of mine with information to share—IT IS NOT ME. Please be aware of this, block the number, and do not engage with them. They are literally just looking for attention, and we are not giving it to them.
If I need to talk to you, I will reach out to you personally. From my actual, brand-new phone number that’s if you have it. If you haven’t heard from me, and someone is texting you acting like they have the Tina Tea™, just know it’s a bored stalker who clearly needs to find a new hobby. Knitting is very relaxing, I hear!
Thank you to everyone who reached out to me directly to say, “Hey, someone is being super weird on the internet and on the phone using your name.” I appreciate you looking out for me, and I am so sorry to anyone—friends, acquaintances, and yes, even the exes—who had to deal with this person’s harassment.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go memorize my 40-character, randomly generated email password.
Thank you for your important precautions. Sending a hug your way.