Unknown prank calls are familiar from the time the telephone was invented. A teenager might call a random number and threaten to kill the person who picks up a call. A drunken dare often leads to such needs. The caller won’t even know what they did in the morning.
A shocking statistic states nearly one in 17 men and 1 in 6 women get stalked every minute. Almost 7.5 million people get stalked in the US alone every single year. Most of these cases involve leaving creepy messages in the smartphone, calling at late hours from an unknown number, threatening, etc. Here are some productive steps to take if you receive such calls.
Threat and Protection
Creepy messages fall under five main categories
1. Blackmail
2. Threatening to hurt physically
3. Creating mental torture by sending degrading messages
4. Demanding to do weird things that might compromise your reputation
5. Targeting family members to provoke your emotions
The most professional ways to tackle these messages and the stalkers sending them are listed below.
1. Enlist expert professional service to track the stalkers
2. Use advanced technology to track who might cause harm to you
3. Check how by whom the information got leaked and with assistance from professional services
4. File formal complaint in the police and the various cyber-crime prevention bureaus
5. Work together with your telephone provider to block the number and trace the stalker by reporting about them
Do Not Disclose Your Information
Use social media responsibly, as most stalkers gain data from these sites, dating sites, and auto fill forms. Try not to disclose your core information, like your actual date of birth. Always keep the location tracking app turned off, and the privacy settings turned on.
It will prevent your photos from being viewed by unwanted people and allow only your friends to view them. If a stalker views your photo on social media, they might get obsessed with you, start collecting details about you and try to contact you in a weird way that creeps you.
It is better to keep your personal life off bounds from the public eye to stay safe. Hence, internet security experts stress disclosing only the minimal information on social media. Be very careful about the type of dating websites you use and the information you disclose with fellow users.
Make Use of Technology
Make use of the tracking apps and online services to find out who sends you such messages. Ignore if it is from a phony who dialled your number wrong. But take all steps to track them by installing advanced software on your smartphone. Never answer an unknown number without thinking twice.
If possible, change your mobile number, use the cameras to check if someone is following you or your family members, and file a police complaint without hesitation. Most policemen report taking early steps instead of waiting till some real danger occurs scares the stalkers, who will start playing low.
Stay Close with Your Family Members and Friends
Stay close with your friends and family and have a healthy relationship with them. If you are being threatened or blackmailed, be open to them and admit your mistakes. Experts say no blackmailer will stop if you pay them as they will press you to pay more.
If the creepy messages on the phone are about blackmail, talk to your spouse or family about it and request them to help you overcome the situation rather than face it alone. If it threatens to harm your family members, warn them openly by showing the message and arranging for their protection.
Warning the family members regarding such messages will freak them out. But it will also help them stay alert and call help if they suspect something fishy instead of staying in oblivion.
Avoid Irking Someone Intentionally
63% of the stalkers are admirers of their victims. Others hate the victim to the core because they have been affected by them. Stop acting up in parties and the workplace trying to pick on that one vulnerable nerd constantly.
Who knows, even a tiny spark of anger might make them turn against you, bearing a terrible grudge. Try to keep people at arm’s length, especially new acquaintances you don’t know much. Check about strangers you get introduced to using the Nuwber tool to know if they are really the people they claim to be.
Seek Professional from Private Detectives of Cyber Crime Experts
An example of a real case: a lady who got stalked for months through phone messages called a professional cyber investigation company. Many private detective services offer such additional benefits.
They tracked the stalker and found out:
● He got her contact from an ad agency she used to model for
● The activities of the stalker drove her to depression, and she ended up losing her child custody
● She got degrading comments about what she was wearing, how she was walking, what a terrible person she is etc.
The stalker aimed to enjoy her suffering and see her break down, losing all self-control. He pretended to help her in numerous instances, creating a friendship with her with the sole intention of making her utterly dependent on him for everything.
When the lady hired a professional service for help, they tracked him within a couple of days, listing and following all the suspicious strangers and acquaintances in her circle. He admitted enjoying her emotional struggle and revealed his further plans to torture her for years. Luckily, overcoming her fear, procrastination, and social dilemma led her to seek professional help, saving her instantly. Never shy away from facing your demons and try to seek help without worrying whether people will judge you. It is the most crucial step to handle creepy stalkers.
Using the correct advanced tools to track who is stalking you and staying brave are essential in handling creepy Smartphone messages. Be it blackmail or a direct threat; be open about your vulnerability to your close family members friends. Come forward to take the next step seeking professional guidance in the form of protection and tracing the stalker. Never give up, never do whatever the creepy caller wants you to do, no matter how torturous or convincing their approach might be. Fighting back is the right of every human, and you deserve to live peacefully without torture.
