Dodgy Phonecalls

RuggieBear

Apologies if this is the wrong forum/discussed to death already but....

got a couple of "obcene" phone calls last night. Wasn't really awake so i just left the phone off the hook... now i have caller id on my landline and so the idiots number came up!

Just wondering what i can do? Thinking of just ringing my local GArda station and telling them the number. Anyone know the legal aspect of dodgy phonecalls and what they can do to you man (probably a kid)?

Thanks,

P
EDIT: Ok finally put in the right words for board's "seach". This seems to be quite a common problem. Why are some people such arseholes, I just don't see the ntertainment in ringing someone you don't know at 2.45am....

Kêrmêttê

There is a section in Eircom that deals with malicious calls
Malicious Calls Bureau, Phone: 1800 689 689 / 1800 475 475

I have had need before to call this rather useful department.

They can trace any calls (they can even trace with-held numbers afaik), to your phone and deal with the offending caller through the regular legal processess, ie. arrest, court, fines/imprisonment etc. It's illegal to make nuisance calls to anyone... and as far as I know, any call that is disturbing or unwanted by the receiver is termed as "nuisance".

Also, if you are the receiver of a nuisance call they will, (if you make a request), change your number free of charge within 24 hours... not the ideal scenario because you then have to inform all your friends and family that you now have a new number... but at least your prank caller can't get you anymore.

Lenny

You post the phone number up here

RuggieBear

Lenny wrote:

You post the phone number up here

lol...i'd love to but i've got a feeling that it would open a legal minefield for myself and possibly Boards!!!
p

Big Chief

pekelly wrote:

lol...i'd love to but i've got a feeling that it would open a legal minefield for myself and possibly Boards!!!
p

from who??

RuggieBear

Big Chief wrote:

from who??

Well, i'd be releasing a phone number into the public domain about someone who i've "claimed" made dodgy phonecalls to me. He can deny making those calls and while i wouldn't be able to deny instigating harrasment if put his number up here. Well, that's how i'm thinking. Does that make any sense or am i talking ****e???

p

Orion

pekelly wrote:

Well, i'd be releasing a phone number into the public domain about someone who i've "claimed" made dodgy phonecalls to me. p

It doesn't matter about the allegation. You'd be publishing someones private details on a public forum. Not a good idea imho. Of course you could post a 555-xxx xxxx number. If someone dropped the 555 that wouldn't be your fault

jor el

It's not really private details now is it, it's available from 11811 and in any phone book. We don't know the name of the person, just a number, so it's hardly anything illegal to print a few numbers on a web page.
Probably best to just deal with it through the regular channels though. However if that all fails, you always have us to rely on

andrea

Is there anything you can do about somebody ringing and hanging up as soon as you answer? I'm pretty sure I know exactly who is doing it, but can't prove it as things stand as I do not have a caller display unit

Orion

jor el wrote:

It's not really private details now is it, it's available from 11811 and in any phone book. We don't know the name of the person,

Exactly - and you need the name to get it from a phone book or 11811.

RuggieBear

Honestly, it is against my nature to go out and deliberatly annoy/intimidate someone unless i'm playing sport (have to get the meaness and aggression out somewhere!!).

I've reported it to the GARDA and they said they'll call the number later and give a caution. They did however say it would probably be a pay as you go phone....anyway if i get another dodgy call this evening, i might just post the no up here.... :eek:

monkeyfudge

I got death threats on my mobile phone about 3 years ago. They even left a recorded message on voice mail too. I went to the Garda Station about it, but they weren't interested and said it was probably just kids messing. They wouldn't even listen to the recorded message, and it quite obviously an adults voice on the thing.

The only thing I could do was change my number in the end.

Kêrmêttê

andrea wrote:

Is there anything you can do about somebody ringing and hanging up as soon as you answer? I'm pretty sure I know exactly who is doing it, but can't prove it as things stand as I do not have a caller display unit

Ring the number for the Malicious Calls Bureau (posted above in this thread).
That sort of calling is illegal.
The Malicious Calls Bureau automatically notify the Gardaí with numbers that are reported to them afaik.

munkeyfudge wrote:

I got death threats on my mobile phone about 3 years ago. They even left a recorded message on voice mail too. I went to the Garda Station about it, but they weren't interested and said it was probably just kids messing.

That's disgraceful! The police in this country spend too much time out on the roads trying to catch people driving 1mph over the speed limit and not enough time protecting the people.
If I was you I'd follow this up and make a complaint. FFS you wouldn't have gone to the trouble of reporting it to the Gardaí if you weren't worried.
Absolutely ridiculous!

andrea

It's scary how little concern there is about this. Particularly among the gardai! Definitely follow up on it, especially if you have recordings and proof!

Hoojah Nickabolokov

Post his number damn you! We'll form a mob and there'll be lynchings!

monkeyfudge

Kêrmêtt&#234 wrote:

If I was you I'd follow this up and make a complaint. FFS you wouldn't have gone to the trouble of reporting it to the Gardaí if you weren't worried.
Absolutely ridiculous!

Ah, it's too long ago now... Nothing came of the threats in the end. (The attempt to murder me last year was unrelated, ha)

The message was saved on my mail box with Eircell, I rang them up and asked them to store the message. The girl in Eircell heard the message too and was very concerned, but they couldn't run a trace without a request from the Gardai.