Stalkers and mobile phones

Marko161

hey,
my girlfriend is having a few issues with an unknown number (actually its 4 nos but the same person) txting her with obscene messages. It wasn't too bad, just annoying, up until before the weekend. Now the messages are getting very threatening (rape/i know where you live etc etc) and I'm gettin pretty p1ssed off. We reckon its someone she knows as they have used her full name once or twice.

We've already been in touch with the Gardai but they are moving so slow its getting annoying.

she doesn't want to change her number because 1) she's had it for ages and she's rather attached to it 2)We'd prefer to know whats been txting than not knowing (if that makes sense?!?)

Does anyone know how to find out who owns mobile numbers or any way to track them?

any other tips/tricks to find out who its is
Just looking for advice from people who've been thru it so I can re-assure her.

Falkorre

Make a note of the exact time and minute of the next one, phone your service provider (Ie:Vodafone) and ask for their assistance in recieving abusive / threatening phone calls, they *can* trace the number if they have your number and the exact time of the call.

How do you know its 4 diff nos if they are witheld?
If you do have the numbers then report them to your service provider and insist on immediate action.

B

tk123

Have you tried calling the num?! I was going to suggest ring the service provider eg 02 but maybe the cops would have to do that? The service provider would be able to get a lists of all the txts sent to and from your gfs num in a few mins and they would be able to get the persons name too. I can't see what the delay would be cos it takes like 5 mins to do sms/call traces - we do them where I work when people say they are getting multiple txts...or one time when a guy was getting sexy txts from a girl - lol it turned out to be a guy who was sending them!!

Marko161

We have the Nos as they are sending txts, not calls (but he did leave a voicemail message once). We tried ringing the numbers back but he doesn't pick up and there is no voicemail set up.he also only turns the phones on at nite.

The Gardai, to be fair, have contacted O2 and have got some info - two of the Nos are registered to a fake name and address (123 fake street) and the third no was only bought during the week and isn't registered.

So i'm really looking for any other options

tk123

Falkorre wrote:

How do you know its 4 diff nos if they are witheld?

B

Numbers aren't witheld on txts!! Sorry Falkorre I couldn't resist!!

secret_squirrel

Marko161 wrote:

the third no was only bought during the week and isn't registered.

That sounds like a scary amount of premeditation - sounds like they could be a real sicko. Chances are its some she knows unfortunately.

Once suggestion give the number a ring from a private switchboard like a company landline - and see if you can trick their name or address out of them. You know the sort of thing...is Rob there....No...who's that then. Im sure if you put a bit of thought into it beforehand you could come up with something more plausible. Like this is O2 customer services - we're giving 100 extra texts to people who register thier mobiles. Will prolly only work once tho.
Hope it works out for you.

Marko161

secret_squirrel wrote:

That sounds like a scary amount of premeditation - sounds like they could be a real sicko.

there is a chance that he's txting a number of girls. My GF received a threatening txt and then recieved the exact same msg 2 seconds later but with a different girls name in it.

It seems my hands are tied

Marko161

I thought of that option, secret squirrel but the fone ain't on during the day. Don't think he'd fall for it at 2.30 in the morning!!

I may try something like that on the weekend as he may be a bit pissed and let something slip.

Optikus

I don't know if this is the best thing to do, but its wat i would do if i was getting that much ****. Post the 4 numbers on as many sites as you can let them get a taste of their own medicine, i saw a post last week about a guy who followed a link on a AIB ATM turned out to be a dodgy prostitute advertisment site im sure if you left them in places like that they would get alot of calls.. knowing them sick basterds they proberly make more friends then enemies. Anyway just a suggestion, like i said probably not the best thing to.

*prepares for mass's of bad rep*

sharkman

O2 should cancel the speak-easy numbers that are contacting you as it is against the T&C's

"6.1. The speak easy service which is made available to you on the basis that you and any other party using the speak easy service does so with your express or implied consent and on your behalf:
1. will comply with all regulations and legislation relevant to the use of this network and service;
2. will not use the services for any improper, immoral or unlawful purpose,
nor cause any nuisance by your use of the service, or allow others to do so;"

Get in touch with O2 again and let them know that you know this ....See what they say

Marko161

I'll suggest that to her sharkman. I'd be interested to see how many incidents it take before they cancel it.

I'd really like a name tho coz if it was someone she knows then theres nothing like the threat of getting the cold shoulder from everyone you know to stop that sort of behaviour.(i'd also like to see the f**ker face to face)

Falkorre

tk123 wrote:

Numbers aren't witheld on txts!! Sorry Falkorre I couldn't resist!!

lol gotme!

Two things just occured to me,

1- O2 can block the phones. [edit] lol beat me to it sharky [/edit]

2- Post the numbers EVERYWHERE (as allready said) and the f€cker will get so many texts lined up when he *does* turn on his fone, he wont have time to be sending nothing *evilgrin*

B

eoin_f

had that problem last year, got well pi**ed after the first few weeks so got good revenge, get an orienteering whistle and give a good blast when you get a response, make sure to call with id witheld. Is a drastic solution but worked like magic.

E.

Optikus

Falkorre wrote:

lol gotme!

Two things just occured to me,

1- O2 can block the phones. [edit] lol beat me to it sharky [/edit]

2- Post the numbers EVERYWHERE (as allready said) and the f€cker will get so many texts lined up when he *does* turn on his fone, he wont have time to be sending nothing *evilgrin*

B

I agree..

I'd like the the numbers Pm'd to me if ya don't to post them .. im sure i could get a name using a bit of social engineering.. plus if i rung them from work i think they would fall for it.

Marko161

if you really want them and you think you could do something with them i'll post them up. Will have to get all 4 of them off her but I have one to start with if your interested.

what exactly is "social engineering"??

Optikus

Social engineering as far as i know the term was first used by hackers and phone pheakers in the days when security wasn't that tight, for instanstace if had hacked into a big companys server but couldn't get past admin passwords or whatever they could just ring phreaking the line so it looked like the call was coming from inside the building say another department, tell the sweet young receptionist on the front desk that they were trying to fix the intranet and have lost the passwords and asked her if she could get them, which she would with out battering a eye lid cos she believed they were tech support and the number being displayed was from inside the building. Its basically jus blagging people, and theres hundreds of different examples form getting free pizza to getting people to give you there details over the phone.

Marko161

I see.
I'm slightly reluctant to post it just in case the nutter happens to be a member (i'm sure he's not but you never can be sure....) or if he googles it and this thread comes up.
any suggestions on spreading it without these obvious pitfalls? (i'm a complete novice at this, as you can probably tell!!)

Optikus

Marko161 wrote:

I see.
I'm slightly reluctant to post it just in case the nutter happens to be a member (i'm sure he's not but you never can be sure....) or if he googles it and this thread comes up.
any suggestions on spreading it without these obvious pitfalls? (i'm a complete novice at this, as you can probably tell!!)

Like i said Pm it to a select few so hes not getting inundated with calls and figures whats going on.. i like to have and any info i find out about him i'll let you know asap via Pm.

samo

being honest about it the gards wont do much for you at all, it takes an eternity as has to go from local garda station as a report to Garda communications dept in the Pheonix park who then go to security dept of network so all very time consuming. wont get any kind of quick resolution there, I would ask for supervisor from network that you know numbers are with and quote the abuse of contract clause.

but then again they can just get a new sim so as optikus says you need to find out who it is. Hope it works out

jesus_thats_gre

Just change her number. If it is someone she knows, she will start recieving messages to that number too.. Just leave the other number off or discard it and he will eventually get bored.

cormie

I'm going to PM you a good sollution for this. It may work. I don't wan't to post it public because it could influence more stalker carry on.

Marko161

jesus_thats_gre wrote:

Just change her number. If it is someone she knows, she will start recieving messages to that number too.. Just leave the other number off or discard it and he will eventually get bored.

Yeah, she will change it soon but there is still the element of not knowing who it was/is. She's already freaking out, checking out every person who is hanging around and all that. think she'd prefer a name and a face so she'd know as opposed to guessing.

I think shes more pissed about the time its taking up in her life - talking to the cops, thinking about it, telling her mates/family about it.

Marko161

cheers cormie. i'll check it now.

StRiKeR

samo is right, the Gar*a wont do much I dont think, they did nothing for me anyway, had to pick up the sh*te myself and finish off the story, have to say i did enjoy the action tho, even if the gar*a do get him, whats the worst could happen to him really?? i left him a broken arm!

Optikus

jesus_thats_gre wrote:

Just change her number. If it is someone she knows, she will start recieving messages to that number too.. Just leave the other number off or discard it and he will eventually get bored.

Good idea.. but what is the world coming to when YOU have to change your number, and all that comes with changing your number like telling friends family work and whatever, all because of some sick basterd. These people need to be stopped, the gards and the phone networks need to do a hell of alot more to combat this, you would think by now they would have something in place tbh it cant be that hard for them to trace a call, surely they are all logged even if they just gave the offender a polite call saying they know whats going on and if they dont stop then action will be taken.

StRiKeR

besides that, if this guy knows her I'm sure he'll get her number again, track him down n take him down, teach him a lesson :mad:

Marko161

its an issue i didn't think about till recently. you can just walk into a shop and get a phone without any ID or proof or residence. It should be an alteration in the process of purchasing a ready to go phone (i'm sure the drug dealers of ireland I'll hate me for saying this!!) but when we asked the Gar*ai whether there were any other complaints against the numbers they said the get 1000's of complaints a month and its diffy to keep track etc.
since its such a large problem things need to change. the mobile fone operators should be on the side of their legitimate customers, not the perverts.

StRiKeR

mobile fone company? tbh, what do they care once they are making money??

Optikus

Marko161 wrote:

its an issue i didn't think about till recently. you can just walk into a shop and get a phone without any ID or proof or residence. It should be an alteration in the process of purchasing a ready to go phone (i'm sure the drug dealers of ireland I'll hate me for saying this!!) but when we asked the Gar*ai whether there were any other complaints against the numbers they said the get 1000's of complaints a month and its diffy to keep track etc.
since its such a large problem things need to change. the mobile fone operators should be on the side of their legitimate customers, not the perverts.

AGREED

Marko161

StRiKeR wrote:

mobile fone company? tbh, what do they care once they are making money??

good point.

cormie

The last thing I would do is disgard that sim. If this guy/girl knows your girlfriend, they will get their new number anyway, but it is best to get to the bottom of these things. If he/she is dangerous it is better to find out who they are and sort it out.

Optikus

Me and striker gonna try our best to find out anything we can on this perv, gonna wait till im at work tommorow.

Marko161

Optikus wrote:

Me and striker gonna try our best to find out anything we can on this perv, gonna wait till im at work tommorow.

Cheers boys, I'll get you the other nos and send them on to you.

sceptre

Marko161 wrote:

I see.
I'm slightly reluctant to post it just in case the nutter happens to be a member (i'm sure he's not but you never can be sure....) or if he googles it and this thread comes up.

Indeed. Careful is good.

StRiKeR

no problem, you can just txt them to us, i pm you my number already

cormie

If you have numerous people trying to contact him he may cease activity and you will never find out who it is.

You should be wanting to find out who it is. That should be your aim for now. Getting people to ring him could banish him forever... or until he does something terrible.

Maybe don't ring him guys?

Optikus

cormie wrote:

If you have numerous people trying to contact him he may cease activity and you will never find out who it is.

You should be wanting to find out who it is. That should be your aim for now. Getting people to ring him could banish him forever... or until he does something terrible.

Maybe don't ring him guys?

Please read the previous posts i have already said this, thats why as far as i know me and striker are the only ones with the numbers and we will be careful.

Marko161

cormie wrote:

If you have numerous people trying to contact him he may cease activity and you will never find out who it is.

You should be wanting to find out who it is. That should be your aim for now. Getting people to ring him could banish him forever... or until he does something terrible.

Maybe don't ring him guys?

Cormie could be right. I'll try a different approach first and then you boys can give it a go on wednesday or so. might have more info then from the boys in blue.

StRiKeR

I'm not gonna ring him dont worry, we have ways to track him!

it is very likely that this guy knows her, so she should pay attention to people around her at the same time dont let them know she suspecting anything, once there are suspect thats where we can start tracing!

Optikus

Marko161 wrote:

Cormie could be right. I'll try a different approach first and then you boys can give it a go on wednesday or so. might have more info then from the boys in blue.

No problem mate.. just keep us informed on whats going on and we will try to help you as much as we can

pleba

few things you can try:

note down exact times of every message. Your operator can tell you what location the person was in when each message was sent (ie what mast they were using at the time). this will probably need to be pursued through the gardai however i would recommend asking to speak to someone important when you ring into customer care of your operator. follow this up with an e-mail and/or a letter.

the operator should be able to tell you whether or not this person is sending messages to lots of people, randomly or otherwise.

Does your girlfriend have her name on her voicemail? If so this is how he would have got it. Also make sure her voicemail password isnt default or else he can listen to all her messages.

MiCr0

its possible that these txt's are being set online - so there's no working phone to ring/txt back too

Optikus

There is a working number to ring its just not on all the time.

vespadriver

Just found this thread. I'm getting odd calls rather than scary/abusive calls but am fascinated by what's going on here.

Gardai and Mobile operators not much use (maybe because of volume of abuse in Ireland, maybe not motivated) and people taking it into their own hands because there are no other options.

My position is not nearly as bad as what's going on here, and for now I'm content to ignore the calls & messages. My next step would be to change my number because again it's not as scary as what's happening here, I don't need to know who it is. But if it then escalated again I would want to know who it is. And if that happens I know I'll be back here for what seems to be some pretty sound advice.

Can you let us know if this was "resolved" to the satisfaction of all concerned. I know caution is called for here so not necessarily any details, but just whether the issue got sorted out to the satisfaction of Marko161 and his gf.

If people know it worked out it might encourage others to come here for help and get similar situations resolved.
And btw, I hope it dod work out well for everyone involved.

xsiborg

vespadriver you're better off to start a new thread, this one is over seven years old, and with the technology on phones now, you can quite easily block incoming calls and texts from unknown numbers or those not in your contacts list by using "blacklisting" apps, available for most phones nowadays.

vespadriver

Opps, I looked at the day and month and not the year!
Thanks for letting me know.