Harassing phone calls

[BriKuz]

So, apparently, my aunt has been getting harassing and/or threatening phone calls simply for having the same last name as me. Her response is to call ME and harass ME, threatening to "teach you guys about gun control" (re Janae and I) I have only spoken to this woman 3 or 4 times in the last 20 years, not a person I would call a "friend" by any means. Has anyone else had issues such as this, and what was your response?

[Tweed Ring]

There was a period of time when I received threats via a myriad of telephone calls. I had the sheriff's office put a tap on the phone. They discerned the calls were coming from a series of pay phones in local bars and taverns. They never caught the guy. But a LEO can get a tap placed on a phone line.

[sodbuster95]

It's been quite a while since I've had a landline, but I seem to recall that there was an option for a per-call trace at the subscriber's request. It might be worthwhile to check with the phone company to see if they offer that service.

[evan price]

Had someone doing this to me once upon a time. Then I *69'ed them and their mom answered. Ahh, good times.

[carmen fovozzo]

This happened to me once about 20 some years ago.....A good friend was running for Mayor in my town where I lived and had my business....

My business was used as one of his campaign office's with signs all over my windows...

Got many threatening calls.....phone company at my request put a tap on the phone and low and behold we got the person making the calls....a relative of the person my friend was running against...

After that, no freaken political signs..My friend lost the election....

[rickt]

*57 logs the call with the phone company. You must file a police report because the phone company will only give the phone number to the police. The phone company charges a couple bucks each time you use that service.

I have no idea if that works with cell phones but it did with landlines.

[Dorsal Spine]

First you file a police report. Second, one of you contacts the phone company. I don't remember if you do it with the case number or if the police make the call. The phone company sets things up so you can enter a code after every harassing call. The phone company traps all calls (cell and landline) and sends the information to the police. Some time later you get a polite call from the Sheriff asking if you know these people.

In my case, it turned out to be a group of fifth and sixth graders. Watching them squirm in court helped make up for the months of harassing calls. I particularly enjoyed when the Judge asked me if I had anything further to say and I told her that I wanted to know which one of them threatened to kill me. The reaction of the kids and their parents was priceless.

[BriKuz]

Here's the problem: My AUNT made the "I'll come over there and teach YOU some gun control" to ME... I was never contacted by the original caller. I also wonder at the thought processes of someone who would make threatening calls and actually threaten to come start trouble with someone they KNOW goes armed regularly. At least the people who called CPS about our kids being "unsafe" when breastfeeding from my wife were following their own flawed logic: they asked the state to start trouble as opposed to doing it themselves.

[MyWifeSaidYes]

What's your aunt's phone number?

[CroManGun]

What's your aunt's phone number?

"For A Good Time, Call XXX-XXX-XXXX"

[fyrfytr310]

What's your aunt's phone number?

I don't know why I expected anything different from MWSY.

To the OP. If you feel threatened by the Aunt, you should make a report. I believe this is almost certainly a benign threat but it would drive the point home that this kind of garbage is unacceptable.

This kind of logic kills me and you see it all the time in news comment sections. "Gun owners are violent baby killers. We should kill them and do the world a favor..." etc etc.

[gaptrick]

.. Invite here over. Maybe you can explain your stance and reconnect with her. If not, and you say she's not a regular at the thanksgiving table, tell her you got a lick of salt and a hammer for her...

[OHIOSTEVE]

A word of caution, especially with this being family..even extended. DO NOT argue back with your aunt if she calls again. Just hang up. Years ago my dad ( bad alcoholic) called my house and told me that had he known my son was gonna grow up to date a black girl, he would have put an end to both of us years ago. I lost my temper and told him that if he came around my house at all he was a dead man. He flipped out saying that I threatened to kill him and that he knew I would do it.. He told me he was gonna call the cops on me. When we hung up I called the sheriff station and told em what happened and that they were getting ready to get a call from a drunk guy saying I threatened to kill him. The cop said " WELL DID YOU?" I said you're damned right I did and if you guys do not make him leave me alone that is exactly what is gonna happen. I got charged and went to trial for domestic violence. It ended up getting completely dropped because the prosecutor knew she had no case and thought I would take a lesser charge and plead guilty. As soon as I walked into court with my attorney she dropped her head, walked up to the judge and I was free to go...several hundred dollars lighter.

[MyWifeSaidYes]

A word of caution, especially with this being family..even extended. DO NOT argue back with your aunt if she calls again. Just hang up. Years ago my dad ( bad alcoholic) called my house and told me that had he known my son was gonna grow up to date a black girl, he would have put an end to both of us years ago. I lost my temper and told him that if he came around my house at all he was a dead man. He flipped out saying that I threatened to kill him and that he knew I would do it.. He told me he was gonna call the cops on me. When we hung up I called the sheriff station and told em what happened and that they were getting ready to get a call from a drunk guy saying I threatened to kill him. The cop said " WELL DID YOU?" I said you're damned right I did and if you guys do not make him leave me alone that is exactly what is gonna happen. I got charged and went to trial for domestic violence. It ended up getting completely dropped because the prosecutor knew she had no case and thought I would take a lesser charge and plead guilty. As soon as I walked into court with my attorney she dropped her head, walked up to the judge and I was free to go...several hundred dollars lighter.

I think there is quite a difference between arguing back to his aunt and threatening to kill her.

Also, there is the matter of admitting to such a threat to a law enforcement officer.

[WestonDon]

Domestic violence is a white-hot topic these days for which the accused is presumed guilty even if proven innocent. I would avoid doing anything that even remotely resembles DV.