When police can't help: how a UK woman stopped her US-based online harasser
What started as a promising connection on a dating app turned into a traumatic experience of control, emotional abuse, and blackmail for our client. Despite seeking help from police in both the UK and the US, she was left unprotected and isolated. This case shows how internet law specialists can use cross-border legal action, OSINT intelligence, and international collaboration to stop even the most evasive online harassers and empower victims to reclaim their lives when traditional routes fail.
What happened: a digital relationship that escalated into threats
The threat of revenge porn and its emotional toll
Our legal strategy: using privacy and harassment laws to take action
The outcome: harassment stopped without needing court proceedings
Taking action across borders: working with US-based harassers
Using OSINT to locate online harassers: a key legal asset
The lawyer’s thoughts on the case
What happened: a digital relationship that escalated into threats
Our client, whom we’ll refer to as Sonia, was a popular streamer on a social platform called MeetMe. She met the individual in question, whom we’ll refer to as Malik, through the app where both were active content creators. What began as friendly interactions soon evolved into a virtual relationship that extended across social platforms, including Snapchat.
Sonia was admired online for maintaining a respectful, professional image. However, as her connection with Malik deepened, his behaviour turned possessive and controlling. He started to interfere with her livestreams, dictated what she could say, wear, or do, and became enraged when she interacted with male fans or received virtual gifts from others.
When Sonia eventually expressed that she no longer wanted to continue the relationship, Malik’s behaviour became threatening. He revealed he had secretly recorded intimate footage of her during video calls and threatened to release the material to her fans and followers. His aim was clear- to shame and destroy her reputation unless she resumed contact with him.
The threat of revenge porn and its emotional toll
Sonia was devastated. What began as a relationship built on trust had turned into a nightmare. She found herself the target of a relentless campaign of psychological abuse. Malik created numerous fake social media profiles to stalk her, harass her, and tarnish her name by contacting her fans with derogatory and false claims. His threats weren’t just about exposure; they were about control. He made disturbing references to her personal life, including her child, using emotional blackmail to keep her paralysed in fear.
Sonia’s reputation and career as an influencer, carefully built as an honest and respectable streamer, was under attack. Malik threatened to destroy it completely unless she submitted to his demands. She was forced to alter her behaviour online, limit her social interactions, and retreat from a community she had once thrived in.
At home, she no longer felt safe. The stress began to affect her health and her ability to parent. Sleep became difficult, and she lived in a constant state of alertness, wondering where and how he might strike next.
She reported the online harassment to the police in both the UK and the USA, but with Malik living abroad, she was told there was little that could be done unless an official referral was made between jurisdictions and this is a complex process not designed for quick response.
With no meaningful support from the authorities, Sonia felt abandoned. Desperate and isolated, she turned to us for help, and we quickly began the process of restoring her control and peace of mind.
Our legal strategy: using privacy and harassment laws to take action
We advised Sonia that this was a clear case of online harassment and misuse of private information. Under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, repeated unwanted conduct that causes alarm or distress can be classified as harassment- even if it occurs online or from another country.
We also informed her that the threat to publish private, intimate images fell under the criminal offence of blackmail and potentially also under the Criminal Justice and Courts Act 2015, which deals with “revenge porn” (though that label can be misleading, as it covers all non-consensual image sharing, even without an existing relationship).
Though Malik was based in Texas, USA, we were able to locate him through a combination of the client’s information and our own investigative tools. We then issued a strongly worded cease and desist letter, notifying him of his potential criminal liability and warning of possible civil proceedings in both the UK and US if he continued his conduct.
The letter included a demand that he cease all contact with our client, delete all private images and videos, and stop posting or threatening to post defamatory or private information. Importantly, it also highlighted the option to pursue an injunction against him in the UK courts, even out of jurisdiction, and raised the possibility of working with US attorneys if further escalation was needed.
The outcome: harassment stopped without needing court proceedings
The letter was served in person in the USA, which was a logistical challenge that we successfully managed. Following the delivery of the cease and desist notice, Malik ceased all communication with Sonia. He deleted the fake accounts and made no further attempts to contact her or share private content.
Our client felt immediate relief. The harassment ended, and she was able to return to her work and online presence without fear or intimidation.
Taking action across borders: working with US-based harassers
One of the most complex aspects of this case was the fact that the harasser was based in the United States while our client lived in the UK. Many victims facing similar abuse assume that legal action isn’t possible if the perpetrator is outside their own country but this simply isn’t the case.
Cross-border harassment poses both legal and logistical challenges. UK police are often unable to assist when the offender resides overseas, and many victims are left feeling unprotected. At Cohen Davis, we have extensive experience in navigating these issues, and we work closely with a trusted network of US attorneys who support our clients in such situations.
In this case, identifying Malik’s precise location in the US was essential. Using the information our client had, such as mobile numbers, email addresses and social media activity, we were able to instruct private investigators in the US to trace him. Once he was located, we arranged for a legal process server to deliver the cease and desist letter to him in person, giving it the seriousness and legal weight it deserved.
Our US legal partners were also on standby to assist with any necessary local enforcement or court proceedings, including the potential to obtain an injunction under US state laws, should the harassment continue. This joined-up approach between our UK-based legal team and our overseas partners ensures that distance does not equal impunity.
Using OSINT to locate online harassers: a key legal asset
One of the most difficult parts of stopping an online harasser is actually finding out who they are and where they are. Many perpetrators hide behind fake usernames, burner emails and anonymised social media accounts. But thanks to our dedicated OSINT team (short for Open Source Intelligence) we are able to locate individuals who believe they are untraceable.
OSINT involves the collection and analysis of publicly available digital information, but our practice goes far beyond a basic internet search. As a law firm, we hold licences to access specialist databases typically reserved for institutions that meet banking-level compliance standards. These resources, combined with our advanced methods, enable us to build an accurate picture of a harasser’s identity and whereabouts.
We also work closely with a network of trusted OSINT professionals in the US and beyond, giving us on-the-ground insight and investigative reach. This allows us to not only trace digital footprints but to follow them across jurisdictions and into actionable real-world outcomes. In Sonia’s case, we used our OSINT tools to identify Malik’s full name, address history, phone data, and employment links, despite his use of pseudonyms and fake accounts.
This intelligence enabled us to serve legal papers in the United States with confidence and precision, which quickly brought his campaign of harassment to an end. Very few law firms offer this level of intelligence work in-house. We do it because our clients need it. It’s what makes our legal approach uniquely effective against anonymous or international online harassers.
The lawyer’s thoughts on the case
This case was challenging due to the geographical complexity, the emotionally fragile state of the client, and the technical nature of the harassment. It required sensitivity, speed, and a solid understanding of both UK and international law. The moment we located Malik and served the letter in the USA, it shifted the power back to our client and gave her what she had been denied by police and authorities on both sides of the Atlantic: real, immediate protection.
In too many cases, UK victims of harassment by overseas individuals are left without proper recourse. Police forces often close files due to jurisdictional limits, leaving victims isolated and disillusioned. What we offer is not just legal expertise, but access. Through our extensive network of US attorneys and investigators, we give clients a real path to justice and safety, even when the harasser is thousands of miles away.
We urge anyone facing similar online abuse to persist. Do not give up, even if the first doors you knock on don’t open. The internet creates new problems, but it also allows for modern, effective legal responses when handled by the right professionals. There are solutions, and they can be reached. A strong, well-articulated legal position- served strategically and backed by experience- can be enough to end even the most terrifying campaigns of abuse.
This case also reinforces the importance of early intervention and digital legal literacy for victims of online coercion. The earlier victims reach out for legal support, the more effectively we can act to protect them and stop the harm from escalating.