A stranger had been watching her sleep, eating her food, and taking photos for MONTHS. The deputy’s words will haunt you forever.
You think you’re safe in your own home? Think again.
A Reddit user’s terrifying confession has sent shockwaves through the internet, and honestly, after reading this, you’ll never feel safe in your house again. What started as minor forgetfulness turned into every homeowner’s worst nightmare — and it could be happening to YOU right now.
THE ORIGINAL POST THAT’S KEEPING PEOPLE UP AT NIGHT:
The Portland-area woman, posting under the username Top-Somewhere-5251, shared her bone-chilling experience on r/stories just days ago:
“So this happened just a few weeks ago and I still don’t know how to process it. I live alone in a small town just outside Portland, Oregon. It’s one of those quiet, tree-covered neighborhoods where nothing crazy ever really happens. I moved in about 8 months ago after a breakup, hoping the peace and quiet would help me reset. For a while, everything was peaceful. Until I started noticing small things out of place. A cereal box I was sure I finished. The TV remote in a different spot. At first, I chalked it up to stress. Maybe I was just being forgetful.
Then one night, I came home from work later than usual. As I was unlocking my front door, I heard a faint thump from inside. It sounded like it came from above. I froze. I stood there, key still in the lock, listening. Dead silence. I went inside cautiously, turned all the lights on, checked every room. Nothing. No signs of a break-in. I tried to brush it off, but something felt… off.
Fast forward two nights later, around 2am, I woke up to what sounded like soft footsteps above me. In the attic. Heart pounding, I grabbed the baseball bat I keep next to my bed and went up to check. When I opened the attic door, I swear I felt a wave of cold air rush past me. The hairs on my arms stood up. I climbed up and looked around with a flashlight…There were empty food wrappers. A sleeping bag. And worst of all, photos of me—sleeping, cooking, watching TV.
I ran out and called the cops immediately. They came, searched the place, and found a man still hiding behind some old boxes. I don’t want to describe what he looked like, because honestly, it’s giving me nightmares. He didn’t say a word. Just stared at me while they dragged him out. Later, the officers told me he might’ve been living up there for months without me knowing. They said it’s not the first time something like this has happened.”
Let that sink in. MONTHS. He was there for MONTHS.
THIS ISN’T JUST A HORROR MOVIE — IT’S CALLED “PHROGGING” AND IT’S HAPPENING MORE THAN YOU THINK
Phrogging is when someone secretly lives in another person’s home without their knowledge, and according to experts, phroggers manage to remain hidden for weeks or even months before being discovered.
Crime Investigation UK notes that “while undeniably rare, phrogging is very much a thing”, with confirmed cases of people hiding in attics, basements, and crawl spaces across the country. And get this — cities like New York, Los Angeles, and Miami tend to experience more frequent reports of phrogging incidents.
But Portland? Authorities recently discovered a man who had been living for some time in the crawl space of a condo near Portland, Oregon, that had been outfitted with various items, including lights, chargers and a bed. This isn’t an isolated incident. It’s a PATTERN.
THE REDDIT COMMUNITY IS FREAKING OUT — AND THEY SHOULD BE
The comments section exploded with a mixture of horror, disbelief, and people sharing their own terrifying experiences:
jennypurplethefirst chimed in: “I watched a programme about this, there’s a name for it which I can’t remember right now. But yes, it’s a thing, a fucked up crazy thing, and people who do it are horrible. I hope you’re ok”
Another user, Flutter-Butterfly-55, provided the term everyone was searching for: “Phrogging: Hider in My House” — which is actually the name of a Lifetime documentary series about this exact phenomenon.
Bizzoxx raised the question everyone was thinking: “Actual nightmare fuel if it’s true. How were there photos of you? No way this guy got film developed and snuck back in…”
The answer? Polaroids. He was using instant cameras to document his victim while she slept. Let that image haunt you.
But perhaps the most chilling comment came from craftycat1135, who shared their own experience:
“We used to rent an old house that periodically I would hear what I would have sworn were footsteps in the attic. We never went up there, never had a reason to. Even my husband heard it once and checked the parts of the house we used. Nothing was ever missing or moved and our dogs never signaled they thought something was off so I didn’t check. I think it scared me that someone could be up there too much to look and wanted to be ignorant.”
READ THAT AGAIN. They KNEW something was wrong but were too terrified to check. How many people are living in willful ignorance right now?
EXPERTS REVEAL THE DISTURBING PSYCHOLOGY BEHIND PHROGGING
This isn’t just about homeless people looking for shelter. The psychological profile of phroggers is far more sinister.
Stalkers may exhibit a range of psychological issues, including personality disorders such as narcissistic personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, and delusional disorders. And make no mistake — phrogging IS a form of stalking.
Research suggests that many women who have been stalked experienced symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder such as hypervigilance, flashbacks, and avoidance. The original poster confirms this — she hasn’t slept properly since the incident and still feels like she’s being watched.
One of the most common psychological consequences of being stalked is the development of anxiety disorders. Victims often live in a state of hypervigilance, always on alert for potential threats. This constant state of stress can lead to panic attacks, generalized anxiety disorder, and in many cases, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
THE SIGNS YOU’RE IGNORING COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE
Think about it: How many times have you brushed off strange noises? Missing food? Items moved around your house?
Footsteps and creaking in the attic, or human-like noises — a cough, or the shuffle of someone moving around — could be early warnings. Strange smells like unfamiliar food, body odor, or smoke can point to an unknown person living in the space.
The original poster noticed her cereal box seemed full when she thought she’d finished it. Commenters mocked her for this detail, but experts say this is EXACTLY the kind of sign people dismiss.
Super-Economy-3669 sarcastically commented: “You noticed a cereal box you were sure you finished? What, you think he bought cereal to refill the empty box? How would he take pictures of you from the attic? Your story has too many plot holes. Work on it.”
But here’s the thing — phroggers DO replenish items to avoid detection. The Chicago attic phrogger had been secretly living in the attic for over a year—coming down when no one was home to eat their food, use their bathroom, and even steal clothing and personal items.
“THIS WAS ALSO IN A MOVIE” — EXCEPT IT’S REAL LIFE
Multiple commenters tried to dismiss the story as fiction. ThatManRed simply wrote: “ChatGPT.”
Mammoth-Valuable-169 said: “This was also in a movie or TV show I’ve seen. Too scary. I guess if he wanted to hurt you, he would have done it long ago.”
But that’s the most dangerous assumption you can make. About one-third of stalking victims were eventually physically or sexually assaulted in one study. Potential indicators of violence include previous instances of violence, destruction of property, loitering around the victim’s home or workplace.
The fact that he HADN’T attacked her yet doesn’t mean he wouldn’t have. Stalking often follows a pattern of escalation. It might start with seemingly innocent actions, but as the obsession grows and the stalker’s efforts fail to produce the desired response, their behavior typically intensifies. This escalation might involve more frequent or intrusive contact attempts, showing up uninvited at the victim’s home or workplace, or even threats of violence.
WHAT MAKES THIS EVEN MORE TERRIFYING: IT’S LEGAL GRAY AREA
Here’s something that will make your blood boil: Phrogging is typically treated as trespassing or unlawful entry and can come with criminal charges. But depending on how long someone has been in your home and local laws, removing them can be complicated.
The original poster is lucky she called the police when she did. When authorities arrived, they found the intruder still there, along with a disturbing stash of the couple’s belongings.
THE VIRAL CHICAGO CASE THAT PROVES THIS IS AN EPIDEMIC
A similar phrogging video quickly went viral, racking up over 14 million views within days. “He was seven feet away from her,” the user said, explaining that her friend saw not a raccoon staring back at her but the pale, wide-eyed face of a man—a stranger.
Items allowed investigators to roughly construct the timeline of events leading to the startling realization that the man had been “phrogging” in the attic for at least a year.
A. FULL. YEAR.
WHAT YOU NEED TO DO RIGHT NOW
The original poster ends her story with a desperate plea:
“I’m sharing this partly to warn people — check your attics, your basements, your crawl spaces. And partly because I haven’t told many people in real life. I feel like I’m still being watched, even though he’s gone. Has anyone else experienced something even remotely like this? Please tell me I’m not crazy”
You’re not crazy. And neither are the thousands of people who upvoted and commented on this post.
bigkahunaConsultant offered simple advice: “Get a dog”
But is that enough? Most homeowners only realize they have a phrogger after noticing items missing in the home or hearing odd noises.
Here’s what you ACTUALLY need to do:
- Check your attic, basement, and crawl spaces TODAY — Don’t wait. Don’t assume it can’t happen to you.
- Install cameras — The original poster did this after the incident. Do it BEFORE you become a victim.
- Change your locks — The Oregon crawl space phrogger had changed the locks on the doors of the space.
- Trust your gut — If something feels off, it probably is. Don’t gaslight yourself into thinking you’re being paranoid.
- Document everything — Missing food, moved items, strange sounds. Keep a log.
THE COMMENT THAT SAYS IT ALL
a11encur1 summed it up perfectly: “New fear unlocked”
And honestly? Good. Because this fear might just save your life.
The original poster updated that she’s changed all her locks and installed cameras, but she still can’t sleep. Can you blame her? She spent MONTHS being watched, photographed, and stalked in what should have been her safe space.
Disruptions in daily life necessary to escape the stalker, including changes in employment, residence and phone numbers, take a toll on the victim’s well-being and may lead to a sense of isolation.
SO… IS SOMEONE LIVING IN YOUR ATTIC RIGHT NOW?
You might laugh. You might think this is sensationalized clickbait. But somewhere, right now, someone is reading this article while a stranger breathes quietly in their attic, waiting for them to fall asleep.
While “phrogging” may sound like something out of an urban legend or movies such as 2019’s Parasite, it’s a rare but very real occurrence.
When was the last time YOU checked your attic?
The original poster thought she was safe in her quiet Portland suburb. She thought strange noises were just the house settling. She thought missing food was her own forgetfulness.
She was wrong.
Don’t make the same mistake.
[SHARE THIS ARTICLE] — Your friends and family need to see this. It could save their life.
What do you think? Have YOU experienced anything like this? Drop your stories in the comments below — and for the love of God, go check your attic.
This article contains information from a Reddit post on r/stories and expert sources on phrogging and stalking behavior. If you believe someone is living in your home without permission, contact law enforcement immediately.
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