Cyber Harassment

Customloads

Super Moderator
I occasionally see something in the press about it being taken seriously etc., but doubt it is.

Without exception I am up front about my online presence, being a businessman it makes sense for people to know what I am about and how to contact me. But the dark side of that is that others are obviously free to operate from within a cocoon of anonymity. Which is fine by my.

Until they use that anonymity to attack me and my family, to drive a wedge between me and my community.

As far as I know I have no enemies, but someone has taken a dislike to my existence. I have no idea if they know me or not! I would like to think that if they did, like the rest of the world they either would not care about me or would think I was "alright" or some other mediocrity.

If someone gets gobby with me in a pub, I tell them to stop being silly and buy me a drink - they usually do. But online, that no worky so well!

So is it taken seriously and should it be?
 
Yes, it should be.

Unfortunately, the 'real' world, and legislation has yet to catch up.

A professional or personal reputation can easily be malicously destroyed, for the sake of pure mishief, by a 3rd party with a percieved grievance, with sod all comeback.

With the prevalence of social networking, it's all too easy to slag somebody off, for all the world to see, or make a complaint via a professional body of some perceived misdemenour that warrants a totally unjustified investigation. While that's pending, you're stuffed. Even when / if, any investigation has been done, the fact that you HAVE been subject to scrutiny, is sufficient to cast a shadow over any current and future prospects.

At some stage in all our professional or personal lives, we've all made mistakes which we wish could be quietly buried. Taken out of context, and plastered over social networks, or bought to the attention of any authorities, these can have severe impacts, both socially and professionaly.

And, yes, I do speak from personal experience.
 
Customloads,

Like V, I have had a recent episode whereby an anonymous call led to a vat, tax & PAYE investigation this was followed by a visit from the Sia and finally the police all from anonymous tip.

In the begining I was fuming, dont get me wrong I'm not happy about it still, but, I took the view of I'm here and I had the best audit ever for free. each agency now know I'm a proper bonafide business paying my taxes (too many).

Try to rise above it, if all else fails pm a few of us here some more details of your cyber foe.

regards

premier
 
...an anonymous call led to a vat, tax & PAYE investigation this was followed by a visit from the Sia and finally the police all from anonymous tip....

Once upon a time, I purchased a LR Discovery, with a view to using it as a demonstration, unmanned surveillance vehicle for kit I was selling to Local Authorities. I told the dealer exactly what I wanted it for, and who I'd be demonstrating it to.

It was a total dog, moody MoT, bodged repairs, leaked gently from every conceivable orifice, etc.

After several attempts to get the dealer to get it right, eventually he told me where to shove it, 'sold as seen' etc.

I used HIM as the subject of demonstrations and training exercises to Local Authorities, Waste Management, Trading Standards, Environment Agency, and every other local investigation agency within a 15ml radius.

He lasted 3 months. :)
 
"He lasted 3 months"
V,

Thats because he was dodgy.

I asked, each agency that came to "investigate" my company for the alleged offences if they would provide me with the name or names of my accuser. To my disbelief I was given some information, not the name or address but I was told the "tip" came via that agencies' website, with the exception of the sia, their "tip" was via crime stoppers link which was via their website.
I was given the time and date of a "tip" and I was furnished with the IP address from one of the agencies.
It was a 3 dongle which is proving a bit difficult to nail down to an address, but my I.T. guy is working on it and I do have my own idea of where I will find it.

I am worried what will be found the morning after I have definitive proof of who did the deed.

regards

premier
 
cyber bullying is becoming an utter plague, it disgusts me just as any bullying does! It is mindless, faceless and can have devastating effects on those targetted. Shameful basically, as is all forms of bullying
 
While doing updates on our back office web site, I noticed that around the same time as the anonymous personal attacks there was also a failed attempt to access our online data. I have an ip address for that, any suggestions on how to trace that would be welcome!

:(
 
IP Address Lookup

Won't necessarily tell you what you want to know, but it's worth a shot.

Best bet is to try a few different ip addy checkers, as sometimes they're not very consistent.

There's also various ways of spoofing or hiding ip addy, so don't start sending a SWAT team in yet !
 
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