Harassment via text message - help!

CopperPlate_2

zzzLazyDaisy wrote:

If you are on a PAYG, it is easy enough to change your sim and notify your contacts that you have done this. My son had to do this recently as he was being pestered by an ex-girlfriend.

Yeah, you're right, but why should you go to expense of buying a new SIM (unless you've been reading other threads and picked up the free O2 ones!!). The providers will change your mobile number free if, as has been said, you can give them a crime reference number.

barjam_2

i dont know if this works but i have a samsung d500 and on my texting options it has a section which allows me to block certain numbers from texting me i will try it and let you know if it works





just tried it with another phone which has confirmation of delivery it said it was sent to my d500 but i aint got it yet so possibly it works

hollie.weimeraner

Hi

sorry to hear about your unpleasant text message, I am in a position where I deal with this sort of complaint on a regular basis.

There are a number of offences committed by the sender of the text and initially they fall within the confines of malicious telecommunications act:

) A person is guilty of an offence if he-

(a) sends by means of a public electronic communications network a message or other matter that is grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character; or

(b) causes any such message or matter to be so sent.

(2) A person is guilty of an offence if, for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety to another, he-

(a) sends by means of a public electronic communications network, a message that he knows to be false,

(b) causes such a message to be sent; or

(c) persistently makes use of a public electronic communications network.

(3) A person guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable, on summary conviction, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or to a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale, or to both.

(4) Subsections (1) and (2) do not apply to anything done in the course of providing a programme service (within the meaning of the Broadcasting Act 1990 (c. 42).

Alternatively as someone has already mentioned, it may be construed as harrassment. It is generally easier for police to deal with this as harrassment as they can issue course of harrassment warnings prior to going through courts which normally has the required effect on the offender.

It may sound quite simple on paper but it isn't that easy unfortunately. In respect of Malicious telecommunications, the Police (certainly my area force) will not investigate the matter unless the matter is really serious due to the cost of the investigation and manpower involved in requesting subscriber details of the person sending the abusive texts and also various other details which I will not go into here.

That leaves Harrassment which, providing you have the senders mobile number and are able to prove who the sender is, is a little easier to deal with. The problem is that to prove harrassment there needs to be a number of messages received over a period of time. 1 message does not constitute harrassment. Whereas 1 message per day for a week may well constitute harrassment which your local police may well deal with.

Sorry for being long winded but there is really no easy answer to this. My advice is if you have only received 1 message then the Police will not want ot get involved - if you receive messages on a regular basis then contact the police who will deal with the matter, BUT, ensure that you save ALL the abusive messages as evidence.

Hope this helped

Sarahsaver

I have received actual verbal abuse from the person in question:(

dragonfly02

If you get harassed by text message:

DON'T reply.
DON'T delete the message.
REPORT it to your mobile phone company and to the police.
Major mobile networks have special teams in place to deal with harassment. Often they can help you, even providing a new mobile phone number for free.

The police are also aware that electronic devices can be used like this. If you think you are the victim of a crime, don't be afraid to go to your nearest police station.

don't forget just because you report the matter to the police does not mean you have to prosecute, i once lost my phone whilst shopping and reported it to the local police station so i could get a crime referance no for my insurance company and i was never asked if i wanted to take it further as i wasn't sure if it was lost or stolen

CopperPlate_2

Sarahsaver - you obviously know who the person is - its a judgement call on your part as to how far you want to go with it. Do you think that by changing your mobile number it will make him/her give up and not cause them to contact you in another way? If yes, then go for it, report it to the Police, and then contact your mobile provider to have the number changed. If you think that it will cause them to find another way of making contact, then I really think that you need to involve the Police in speaking to the person and at the very least warning them if there's enough evidence. Have you told this person that you are contemplating going to the Police? That's sometimes enough to shut them up. How bad is the verbals you've been getting? If it's enough to worry you into posting onto this board, then Id definitely be seeking professional law enforcement assistance!

CP

elona

I agree with Copperplate

You need to make sure that you are safe - Good Luck

toastie_girl

Sarahsaver, I'm sorry you are experiencing this. Phones are personal to us and we keep them with us all the time so it's not suprising that you feel unsafe. If you would like to talk this through with someone, maybe the Victim Support Supportline could help you. 0845 30 30 900 - open 9am-9pm weekdays and until 7pm on weekends.

It's important to keep the evidence and maybe a paper log of the time and date of the messages, just in case you have a problem with your phone.

This person has no right to treat you in this way. I hope it stops soon.

s30jok

Sarahsaver wrote:

I have received actual verbal abuse from the person in question:(

PM me if you want a new T mobile pay as you go sim card i have 2 and can easily post one out to you first class - no charge. And you get 2000 free texts if you put £10 onto the card. So there will be enough to send out your new number to all your mates etc!


Failing that you have the guys phone number in the body of the text message, just goto some scrupuolus websites and enter his phone number in saying...........yes i would like to receive pics of naked men/women etc sent to my phone every 2 minutes at a cost of £1.50 everytime or just subscribe his phone number to other expensive premium numbers!

Fran

s30jok wrote:

Failing that you have the guys phone number in the body of the text message, just goto some scrupuolus websites and enter his phone number in saying...........yes i would like to receive pics of naked men/women etc sent to my phone every 2 minutes at a cost of £1.50 everytime or just subscribe his phone number to other expensive premium numbers!

Then she's as guilty as the other person, who might well go to the police etc. before her!