harrassment calls to my mobile, advice please?

lauram25

hi all

on thursday i got a call from a withheld number, i answered it and it was an asian man asking if i was laura, i said who is this? he then said someone gave me your number telling me you would give me sex - i hung up. he called back again and yes i answered again, he kept asking my name, age and if i was married - all he seemed to know was my name and the area i lived it - i didnt give him any info at all and hung up again.

i thought that would be the end of it, but he just kept calling and has done ever since. ive not spoken to him since, mostly i just let it ring out, but sometimes i answer and just leave the phone on the side to make him see im not going to talk, then last night i got a whistle and blew it down the phone to him on 5 calls he made to me - but hes still ringing.

its around 20-30 calls a day now, it started off at 50 calls, so it has dwindled slightly, but every time i think oh i havent heard from him in a few hours maybe hes given up - he'll call again.

ive spoken to my phone provider who is tmobile and they said that as i have an i phone theres nothing they can do - id asked them to block all with held numbers to my phone, the operators answer was to change my number, which right now does seem the only solution, but its just ive had this same number for years, id have to give it to my banks, doctors, dentist, eye people, the school , friends family etc.

a friend of mine said to go to the police, so im just wondering if anyone knows what they could do ? cos hes calling from a with held number, so is it even traceable? or is my only two options to either hang on until he hopefully gives up, or change my number?

Fruit_and_Nut_Case

Your friend is correct; go to the police. They (or possibly a court?) can make T-Mobile provide the calling number to them. The number is only "withheld" as far as the called party (you) is concerned. The Telcos have to know it so that they can bill the pervert. Good luck.

bengalknights

Go to the iphone app store and there should be an app for blocking witheld numbers thats free dont know what its called on iphone but on android its called call blocker and i presume they do the sames apps for iphones.

lauram25

Fruit_and_Nut_Case wrote: »

Your friend is correct; go to the police. They (or possibly a court?) can make T-Mobile provide the calling number to them. The number is only "withheld" as far as the called party (you) is concerned. The Telcos have to know it so that they can bill the pervert. Good luck.

i did some research on the internet, and the general feel seems to be that the police wont do anything as hes not been threatening to me, the first call was obviously him telling me he wanted sex, but since ive not answered since, apparently theres nothing they will do except to tell me to change my number

lauram25

bengalknights wrote: »

Go to the iphone app store and there should be an app for blocking witheld numbers thats free dont know what its called on iphone but on android its called call blocker and i presume they do the sames apps for iphones.

ive tried to find this and theres nothing that i can find, theres one for telemarkers and to with hold my own number, but nothing to block with held numbers to me.

OldGreyFox

You need to register a complaint with your networks Nuisance/Malicious Call Bureau to get things moving.

http://support.t-mobile.co.uk/help-and-support/index?page=home&cat=NUISANCE_CALLS

KierNet

lauram25 wrote: »

i did some research on the internet, and the general feel seems to be that the police wont do anything as hes not been threatening to me, the first call was obviously him telling me he wanted sex, but since ive not answered since, apparently theres nothing they will do except to tell me to change my number

I would say getting that many phone calls is threatening, wouldn't hurt to pop down to your local station and ask to speak to an officer, worse they can say is they can't do anything at the moment.

WhiteHorse

lauram25 wrote: »

... all he seemed to know was my name and the area i lived in

That suggests some sort of inside knowledge and is close enough to merit involving the Police.

Wintermute

Go to the police, it's obviously causing you distress and making you feel threatened so have a word with them and see what they'll do. Generally the reports you'll turn up on the internet will be negative and people asking for advice rather than people saying they were in a similar situation and the police sorted everything. All mobile networks have a department for dealing with issues like this, they wont be customer facing, but the police will know how to get in touch with them, the only thing customer services can really do is change your number, but start taking a note of dates and times of calls so you can hand that over to them straight away.

lauram25

thanks for the replies, i will follow that link soon and get the ball rolling and yeah i guess it cant harm to ask the police in a station what can be done, just felt that as its blocked and im not answering the calls now that they wont offer me any help except to say to change my number

Techhead_2

One thing, if you get malicious calls. If you can help it, do not answer and definitely DO NOT do anything like blow a whistle or leave the phone off the hook. These perverts get off on this as they have a response from you. If you must answer then don't say anything, wait a few seconds and calmly hang up.

If the calls are of a sexual nature then the police will investigate if you point this out to them and work with the nuisance calls bureau . But don't expect to find out who called.