susie_thomas asked this question on 5/8/2000:
Hi Natalie,
A man has called my home on two occasions. He sais he found info on me on AOL. he said that he knew i did claims adjusting and needed my help for a court case. Hwere's the thing, my home phone number is not listed under my own name and at that is unpublished so i have no idea how he got my number, 2nd i do not do claims adjusting any longer i used to ( 6 years ago) and i have no idea how he found out that information either. He has not been threantning in any way but this worries me as i have been stalked in the past. Is there anything i can and/or should do about this?
NataliePratt gave this response on 5/10/2000:
In today's society, you are doing the right thing by taking precautions. You can never be too careful. It could be nothing, but why take a chance? If it continues, I can't stress enough that you should make a police report. The following are some important general things to remember to keep you safe, and also to document it for future prosecution if it gets to that point.
Most importantly, document everything no matter how unimportant it seems. Keep a record of every single thing that happens. Leave nothing out. Include dates, times, witnesses, and specific details.
Use *69. This service from your local telephone service provider tells you the last number of the person who called. Or, if you have caller ID, write the number down from the unit.
If he bypasses *69 or caller ID, you can have calls marked "private" blocked. This way your stalker won't be able to get through to you unless he is willing to divulge his name and phone number.
Save all recorded messages.
Make a police report, no matter how foolish you feel. Even if it turns out to be nothing, you should have your case on record with the authorities. Don't minimize your situation or your fear to the police. Tell them everything and give them details, even if it is embarrassing.
If it becomes really bothersome, you can usually obtain a restraining order from your local civil court. These orders, require your stalker to stay a certain distance from you and to cease communication with you. If your stalker violates the civil court's order, he can be held in contempt of court and he may be fined and/or imprisoned. But, these are not free and will cost you some money.
Remember, this is nothing to fool around with, you don't want to wind up as a statistic. Good Luck, and I hope it all works out.
To obtain a guide for stalking victims, write or call the National Center for Victims of Crime 2111 Wilson Blvd. Ste. 300, Arlington, VA 22201 Phone: (800) FYI-CALL or (703) 276-2880 Web: www.ncvc.org
Natalie Pratt Midwest Investigative Consultants