| Phone harassment is no joke. These are calls that | | | | Step 3 - Hang up, screen calls, unplug the phone - If |
| have graduated from an annoying prank to telephone | | | | you answer the call by accident, hang up the phone |
| stalking. Encountering harassing calls, which are typically | | | | immediately. Screen calls with caller ID and with your |
| characterized by frequent calls that are obscene, or | | | | answering machine or voice mail service. If you can |
| when the caller intimidates you with silence, heavy | | | | use another phone for the time being such as your |
| breathing, words or threats, is something you need to | | | | cellular, do so and unplug your targeted phone line. |
| stop. The following are different steps you can take to | | | | Essentially, the less contact you have with the |
| deal with calls you receive from a phone harasser: | | | | harasser, and the harder you make it for them to |
| Step 1 - Take harassment seriously - Do not assume | | | | reach you, the faster they are likely to become fed up |
| that these calls will stop on their own. Phone | | | | with the game they are playing with you. |
| harassments are serious and can result in a real and | | | | Step 4 - Use a reverse phone trace to find out |
| physical dangerous situation. If you don't know who is | | | | information on the person - Once you obtain a caller's |
| harassing you, how can you be sure of their | | | | number, run a backwards number search on it. Try a |
| intentions? What if it's an angry ex-lover, ex-friend, | | | | free investigation first, but then consider paying for a |
| ex-co-worker, or someone who has been watching | | | | reverse cell phone lookup to find more information if no |
| you without your knowledge? Be smart and protect | | | | results are found. |
| your safety. Make a plan of action, and immediately | | | | Step 5 - Notify your phone company and/or the police |
| notify the police of these calls if you or someone in | | | | if calls are persistent and will not stop. Contact your |
| your home is ever threatened physically. | | | | telephone provider and inform them of the calls and |
| Step 2 - Do not confront the caller - If you are being | | | | ask if they can trace the number. If they are unable to, |
| harassed, don't make any attempts to talk to the caller. | | | | they may be able to track the person by putting a trap |
| Attempting to communicate, getting angry, showing | | | | on your line. Finally, remember to call the police should |
| you are afraid, or making your own threats will only | | | | harassment calls ever become threatening. |
| make the calls worse. | | | | |