Dealing with a Prank Caller

[MrBug708]

Got kind of an issue here. I get a prank call from the same phone number with some minor regularity. Tonight they called, left a message that didnt say much of anything, and that was that. An hour later, they call again and I answer, and just left there be dead air. Previously I've tried to say hello, but they just giggle (Im thinking 13 year old girls here) say something lame, and then hang up. Wash, Rinse, Repeat. After having them call about 7 times in a row and letting there be dead air and listening to them say hello, one of them says that this was the girls mother (in her still 13 year old voice) and they wanted to apologize for their behavior and that the girl was in timeout, they just wanted me to say something to acknowledge that I heard what they said and then hung up and called again, which I let go to voice mail.

Reverse phone number lookup is worthless because it doesn't track cell phones. I don't really feel like writing down all of the calls and making a report. Can cell phone companies block a certain number for your cell phone? Not sure what to do really

[Izulde]

Wait a few years.

[RainMaker]

Pretty sure they can block the number. I'd report it to the cell phone's carrier as well. If you think it's children, perhaps say that the number has been reported to the police.

[Chief Rum]

Pretty sure they can block the number. I'd report it to the cell phone's carrier as well. If you think it's children, perhaps say that the number has been reported to the police.

I'm not so sure they can. I have had friends who had relationships go bad and they were helpless to stop getting calls from the ex's. They had to pretty much shut the number down and get a new number if they wanted to escape any calls from specific people. That's going back two or three years, though--maybe the laws or the capabilities of the cell phone companies have changed for the better in that respect.

[lungs]

Call the cops. I used to be a prank caller until I got caught and got a ticket when I was 13. That was the end of my prank calling days.

[Toddzilla]

Wait a few years.Quality

[stevew]

Post their number here. Once they get bothered by people from 25 different area codes, they'll know Kyle Kappe is not someone to be fucked around with.

[sovereignstar]

Tell your mommy.

[Noop]

If they prank call you again then I suggest you go ahead and go to defcon 5 on their ass and prank them back. I would say absolutely weird shit like...

Bug: Dude!!!!! I just brought this new pet rock from the store and it pee'd on my couch. <change your voice> No way are you serious?

Then you can start gangsta rapping about drinking a 40 in your 40s with Tina Fey and a bum who looks like Jesus.

Next I would keep calling that number and asking if someone would listen to your problems.
-------------------

I am well aware that I sound like I have done this before...

:)

noop

[duckman]

Two words: Air Horn

[Flasch186]

post the number on here and thatll end it.

[Logan]

Two words: Air Horn

I like this idea a lot.

Or Yanni.

[illinifan999]

Usually calling the cops will do the trick. When I was doing my internship, we had dealt with "phone harassment" a few times. What happened is someone would call, or come in and explain the situation to the officer. He would then call the number and basically say that he was "Officer xxx of the Carbondale Police Department, and we've received a complaint that someone on using this phone has been making harassing phone calls and that if it doesn't stop further action will be taken".

If the person calling lives in the jurisdiction, the cops can just go there and deal with it in person. But if they don't it's a little harder to actually take action, although a warning like that usually does the trick, especially if it's younger people.

But for example, we had a professor that was getting prank calls, and we found out that the person making them lived near St. Louis in a town called. After the warning phone call (disgruntled student) didn't work, the officer made a call to the department in that area and asked if an officer could make a quick stop at the offender's house. No idea if an officer actually went, but the calls stopped.

[digamma]

I know you called.
I know you called.
I know you hung up on my line.
Star 69.

[EagleFan]

Wait a few years.

This thread was already complete after post number 2. We have an epic winner!!!

[sterlingice]

Call the cops. I used to be a prank caller until I got caught and got a ticket when I was 13. That was the end of my prank calling days.

:D

SI

[ShaneTheMaster]

People still crank call? I mean, caller ID kinda ruins it.

[Bobble]

Call the cops. I used to be a prank caller until I got caught and got a ticket when I was 13. That was the end of my prank calling days.

Sorry for narcing on you back then, dude. I just thought you needed to learn a lesson.

[Rizon]

I think there is a way to block calls, but never had to do it. People I know just change those types of calls to DO NOT ANSWER in their address book.

[Dodgerchick]

If they prank call you again then I suggest you go ahead and go to defcon 5 on their ass and prank them back. I would say absolutely weird shit like...

Bug: Dude!!!!! I just brought this new pet rock from the store and it pee'd on my couch. <change your="" voice=""> No way are you serious?

Then you can start gangsta rapping about drinking a 40 in your 40s with Tina Fey and a bum who looks like Jesus.

Next I would keep calling that number and asking if someone would listen to your problems.
-------------------

I am well aware that I sound like I have done this before...

:)

noop

It might backfire though. They might think it's funny and call back more often. Hell, MrBug's # might even get distributed amongst other 13 year olds, "Hey, there's this guy we've been prank calling that's saying some weird stuff... check it out here's his #."

The last one though might actually get them to stop, no 13 year old kid wants to hear a grown up's problems.

</change>

[JediKooter]

I had a prank caller a few years ago and amazingly, they stopped calling when I answered the phone, "Police Department". Never heard from them again. YMMV.

[lungs]

Sorry for narcing on you back then, dude. I just thought you needed to learn a lesson.

Lesson learned :)

That's fine, once the whole prank calling thing got us into trouble, we turned to drugs.