Being harassed and bullied by internet troll

OfAllTheNames · 11-04-2015 12:09PM #1

Hi,

I'm at my wits end here and don't know where to turn or what to do.

I have a social media outlet, a blog let's say, and a troll has been at me and at me for the past year or s. Always making snide comments which I can handle. I block the troll but they pop up again within hours with a new username.

In the past few weeks they've hugely stepped up their game. They've found my address. They've tweeted me saying they've found all my family's facebooks (they've given names) and they're singing me up for umpteen newsletters using my blog email in my local town. They've also scheduled meetings using my email online with random companies.

I've reported them to Google but Google replied saying they are not violating any terms.

I'm almost in tears here. I fear for my family. I've always taken my personal security online quite seriously. I've never shared personal information, not even the county I live in, so I don't know how this has all happened.

The guards are aware and the investigating guard has done loads to help me. Google are being extremely uncooperative with the police, they are requesting report after report form the guard and the guard says it could take six months to a year for Google to give any information about the troll.

What can I do? I'm so stressed out.

kneemos · 11-04-2015 12:13PM

Put down the internet and pick up a book and smell the roses.
Ignoring these morons usually gets rid of them.

OfAllTheNames · 11-04-2015 12:14PM

kneemos wrote: »

Put down the internet and pick up a book and smell the roses.
Ignoring these morons usually gets rid of them.

I've ignored him/her for the past year. I think I responded twice back in the day but never any more. I carry on as if they don't exist. They will not give up. My blog is my business so leaving the internet isn't an option.

DoYouEvenLift · 11-04-2015 12:15PM

Log out.

Edit: Jesus, a year lol. They're fuked in the head, do they not realise they could've actually accomplished something better for themselves if they didn't waste all that time. Trolls like that are actually mind blowing, I wonder what they look like

sheesh · 11-04-2015 12:16PM

is google hosting the blog?

OfAllTheNames · 11-04-2015 12:16PM

DoYouEvenLift wrote: »

Log out.

Not an option. My blog is my business and my income relies on it.

chupacabra · 11-04-2015 12:16PM

May I ask what the nature of your blog is? And why they first started attacking you? Is there a reason or was it totally random?

Winty · 11-04-2015 12:18PM

do you know him / her in real life?

GerB40 · 11-04-2015 12:18PM

Jesus I can't stand that shít. I'm sorry you're being treated in such a manner. What might help is contacting the citizens information bureau, generally when they get involved they speed up whichever process is in place to sort your situation out. In this case it's the Gardaí but they might also be able to get you in contact with people who deal with Internet bullying/trolling. Other than that I wouldn't know what to do but I hope it gets resolved.

OfAllTheNames · 11-04-2015 12:20PM

chupacabra wrote: »

May I ask what the nature of your blog is? And why they first started attacking you? Is there a reason or was it totally random?

It's a beauty blog. They first started attacking another beauty blogger and slowly they began to take on several of us. I'm not alone in all of this. There are about four or five of us being attacked in the exact same way. Last week the troll sent one of them a message saying to keep an eye in the post because he/she was sending something to her.

This is not normal and we can't continue living our lives like this.

harry Bailey esq · 11-04-2015 12:21PM

If blogging is your profession,Your obviously fairly internet savvy.Find the ip address and turn the tables on this clown

conorhal · 11-04-2015 12:21PM

GerB40 wrote: »

Jesus I can't stand that shít. I'm sorry you're being treated in such a manner. What might help is contacting the citizens information bureau, generally when they get involved they speed up whichever process is in place to sort your situation out. In this case it's the Gardaí but they might also be able to get you in contact with people who deal with Internet bullying/trolling. Other than that I wouldn't know what to do but I hope it gets resolved.

I see the Guards aren't up to much on this. I believe that several private IT investigative firms have sprung up to deal with this sort of problem. They may have more success in tracking down the culprit.

OfAllTheNames · 11-04-2015 12:21PM

Winty wrote: »

do you know him / her in real life?

I highly doubt it. They seem very proud to have dug up this information so I reckon they're just an internet whizz. They're even using an IP address masking software so us normal folk can't track them.

OfAllTheNames · 11-04-2015 12:21PM

conorhal wrote: »

I see the Guards aren't up to much on this. I believe that several private IT investigative firms have sprung up to deal with this sort of problem. They may have more success in tracking down the culprit.

The guard has shown me all the work he's put into it, genuinely I was shocked at how helpful and interested he is in this case. It's the paperwork and Google holding it up.

11-04-2015 12:22PM

Contact the Gardai. They may not prosecute, but the sight of Garda on their door should get most smartarses to calm down. If they step it up, well they're on the Grda radar then.

http://www.garda.ie/Documents/User/cp%20info%20sheet%20-%20online%20harassment-2012-11-12.pdf

Edit sorry, I see you have. Pity you're sunning up against a brick wall there.

OfAllTheNames · 11-04-2015 12:22PM

harry Bailey esq wrote: »

If blogging is your profession,Your obviously fairly internet savvy.Find the ip address and turn the tables on this clown

They are using an IP masking software.

SEPT 23 1989 · 11-04-2015 12:23PM

Do you know any large men who could visit them and request them to stop?

OfAllTheNames · 11-04-2015 12:24PM

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Do you know any large men who could visit them and request them to stop?

I do indeed but finding them is the problem... They're using IP address masking software. Looks like trolling might be their profession too!

chupacabra · 11-04-2015 12:26PM

If they are going to trouble of masking their IP then this individual has problems. I've had to deal with some similar stuff over the years so I know what it feels like. Just try to stay calm and above all else dont show any emotion towards the person. Thats just feeding their obsession.

11-04-2015 12:26PM

How about contacting your Solicitor and getting them to write to Google and say their refusal to co operate is leading to an unlawful interference with your business relations and the infliction of emotional distress. Both are kinda long shots in the tort world, but the thought of them having to engage their own legal team to react might persuade them to get the finger out for once and for all.

Winty · 11-04-2015 12:26PM

OfAllTheNames wrote: »

I highly doubt it. They seem very proud to have dug up this information so I reckon they're just an internet whizz. They're even using an IP address masking software so us normal folk can't track them.

I would love if that were true but the truth is the person more than likely knows you.
Its very rare that they are some kid on the other side of the world.
Sorry its happening

blackwave · 11-04-2015 12:27PM

I cant see an easy solution to this I'm afraid if they are internet savvy. As they are probably using disposable emails etc. Really hope you find a solution to this

TimeToShine · 11-04-2015 12:28PM

The gardai and Google will be of little help here. If this really is your livelihood, you need to hire an IT investigator to look into matters. To be honest, it's all probably a bluff anyway. Internet trolls talk the talk but most definitely do not have the resources nor the testicular fortitude to initiate anything in person. The fact that you fear for yourself and your family's safety is all the reaction they were looking for, and to be frank it's about the extent of what they can achieve.

KomradeBishop · 11-04-2015 12:28PM

IP masking software doesn't exist, what he is doing is using a proxy - i.e. his connection is just passing through one (or several) other computers, before getting to your blog.

Depending on what he is using to connect like this, he might still be traceable - if he is using a VPN service, some companies hosting that may be willing to pass on information if there's proof of harassment and stuff like that.

There are some proxy methods which are pretty much untraceable though, but there is often a tradeoff between:
1: Being untraceable (many VPN services are very traceable),
2: Being unblockable (many free proxy services have publicly obtainable IP lists, that can be blocked), or
3: Having a cheap/free service (getting both of the above together, can cost more money).

If he is using Tor for instance, he is completely untraceable - but it's possible to just completely block all Tor exit nodes so he can't connect:
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/9780038/is-it-possible-to-block-tor-users

blackwave · 11-04-2015 12:29PM

Quick Q was their twitter account they used to threaten you just a new account or has it been up a while?

20Cent · 11-04-2015 12:30PM

Awful thing to be happening. Have heard of companies that help with situations like this. one was located at the Nova start up centre inUCD can't remember the name will look it up later.

SpaceTime · 11-04-2015 12:33PM

Change to a smaller hosting company for your blog and email accounts. That way you might be able to get a response far more quickly.

Also, if they're chasing family members etc, consult a solicitor. You should probably see if there's any civil action that they should have explained to them in detail. Harassing someone can end up in more than just criminal sanctions.

Are they based in Ireland or abroad?

OfAllTheNames · 11-04-2015 12:34PM

Thanks for all your suggestions, I think I will have to go to a Private Investigator. Can anyone recommend any or is that even allowed here?

I know the troll probably won't ever act on these threats and I understand me being stressed is EXACTLY what they want but it's difficult to stay calm when someone is saying "I found your sister's personal ***** account, she looks just like you! I love *insert my home county here* too!"

Gives me the shivers.

OfAllTheNames · 11-04-2015 12:35PM

SpaceTime wrote: »

Change to a smaller hosting company for your blog and email accounts. That way you might be able to get a response far more quickly.

Also, if they're chasing family members etc, consult a solicitor. You should probably see if there's any civil action that they should have explained to them in detail. Harassing someone can end up in more than just criminal sanctions.

Are they based in Ireland or abroad?

I have no idea where they are based. The IP masking software has bounced up IP addresses in the UK, in California, and in Vietnam. So could be anywhere. Could be my neighbour!

OfAllTheNames · 11-04-2015 12:35PM

blackwave wrote: »

Quick Q was their twitter account they used to threaten you just a new account or has it been up a while?

New account, the accounts never last long before they move onto the next.

DoYouEvenLift · 11-04-2015 12:36PM

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Do you know any large men who could visit them and request them to stop?

Did you know that the internet is actually worldwide?

Being harassed and bullied by internet troll

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