It's not all fame and fortune for Hollywood's hottest celebs.
In recent years Sandra Bullock, Paula Abdul, Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Garner and Erin Andrews have had to deal with unwanted attention of a different sort, from overzealous fans.
Keira Knightley, for instance, has had six—yes, six—alleged stalkers. And this week, Dancing With Stars alum Shawn Johnson will see whether the man accused of stalking her, a man who insists he's insane, will wind up institutionalized.
So how do the stars fight back?
After years of having experts suggest stars try to ignore the threatening behavior, an E! News investigation has learned that celebrities are increasingly taking a more proactive approach to dealing with stalkers.
Rachel Solov, who heads up the San Diego District Attorney's stalking and sex crimes unit, says technology has made it easier than ever for stalkers to target and track celebs. "Stalkers follow their victims through all networks: Twitter, Facebook, spyware," Solov explains to E! News. "The victim may not even know they are being followed and can be followed physically or remotely. GPS devices not uncommon for stalkers to use. They can be placed on a victim's car without them knowing."
Solov also tells E! the law can only do so much to protect the victims. While celebrities from Audrina Patridge to Ryan Seacrest have sought restraining orders against their accused stalkers, Solov says that legal remedy doesn't always help. "It's just a piece of paper. It's not going to stop a bullet. It's not going to stop the harassment."
That's when the stars call in private security experts like Mark Chinapen. Chinapen has worked on a number of celebrity stalker cases and tells E! News his clients typically avoid restraining orders to prevent the media attention that's sure to follow. Instead, Chinapen and his team employ a "stalking the stalker" method, surveilling the suspect and digging into their background, and casing red-carpet events hours before their client arrives to ensure his or her safety.
Chinapen says confronting the suspect—often knocking on their door—and warning them that their every move is being tracked is often the best bet. In fact, he says, he has never confronted a stalker who didn't then stop the behavior. "We waste no time at all. We go straight to the source. We solve the problems."
Don't miss "E! News Investigates: Stars Strike Back Against Stalkers" airing tonight on E! News at 7 and 11:30 p.m.
____________
Check out Celebs in the Courthouse!