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Online harrassment/threats

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  • 28-02-2006 2:32am
    #1
    dSTAR
    Registered Users Posts: 1,787 ✭✭✭


    I received a very nasty email from someone in the US who threatened to turn up at my doorstep and 'mess my life up". Normally I would ignore these kinds of hollow threats but this one was very explicit. The person claims to know my whereabouts and can quite easily send a friend of his from the same public networking group I am a member of to harrass me.

    I have two small children and their absolute safety is paramount.

    What action should I take?


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    #2
    Laguna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,639 ✭✭✭Laguna


    First of all, what a b@stard the **** is to hide behind an email to threaten you and your family. To be honest, I'm not sure of what legal action you can take on the basis of an email, I'm not sure if it holds the same legal sway as a handwritten 'poison pen' letter when presented to the police.. I'd try my best to ignore it best you can, because if it does actually progress into the threat of physical violence through the third party of the person you know through your public networking group, then the Police would have more than sufficient grounds to clamp down on the scumbag..


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    #3
    dSTAR
    Registered Users Posts: 1,787 ✭✭✭dSTAR


    Thanks for your reply.

    I am not sure if I want to take that risk. Someone I know who is also a high profile blogger/website owner received a nasty email from someone who actually made good on his threats and put a brick through his window. This chap is a very professional person (earning $100,000+ online) with a wife who expecting a baby not your average Joe Blogs off the street. Of course the perpertrator was caught and charged but I don't it to even get to that stage.


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    #4
    Laguna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,639 ✭✭✭Laguna


    Well I notice from the location given under your name that you're in Australia and the person harrassing you is in the US, now not that I'm saying the guy isn't crazy enough to do so (I don't know him after all), I'd say there's a small chance of him willing to go out of pocket financially by hopping on a transpacific flight just to put a brick through your window. He's an asshole man, 90% of the Internet's population is just like him, I know it's no consolation to sound peace of mind and security for your family, but I wouldn't take him seriously, he's probably a 52 year old, 90lbs nerd who lives in his parents basement answering to the name of Neville...


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    #5
    dSTAR
    Registered Users Posts: 1,787 ✭✭✭dSTAR


    Thing is I know his full name, location and even high school he went to. He claims to know my details and 'has friends'. I think I will just play it by ear for a while and any more of same will result in a police report.


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    #6
    Laguna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,639 ✭✭✭Laguna


    dSTAR wrote:
    Thing is I know his full name, location and even high school he went to. He claims to know my details and 'has friends'. I think I will just play it by ear for a while and any more of same will result in a police report.

    Haha, the only people I can think of who drop the line "I have friends" are people who don't have any friends or New York trust fund yuppies.. which of these would you vouch he is?.


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    #7
    dSTAR
    Registered Users Posts: 1,787 ✭✭✭dSTAR


    Thanks Laguna!

    Definitely does not fit into the latter...

    :D


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    #8
    Terry
    Registered Users Posts: 26,061 ✭✭✭✭Terry


    http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tka/2006/01/09

    anonymous on-line threats are illegal in the united states. report him if he was using a pseudonym.


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    #9
    Thirdfox
    Registered Users Posts: 7,110 ✭✭✭Thirdfox


    How has this thread not been moderated? :confused:


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    #10
    hullaballoo
    Administrators, Entertainment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,712 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭hullaballoo


    Thirdfox wrote:
    How has this thread not been moderated? :confused:
    I've got the 'flu and I've been hallucinating for the past 12 hours. I assumed I was hallucinating reading this thread too and that people couldn't still be doing this.

    Laguna and dSTAR, please read the forum charter. Thread locked.


This discussion has been closed.
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