Threats on the internet

[scoobydoo]

Hello Gents (and Ladies),
I have browsed this site a few times after a link from Scoobynet but I have registered for some serious advice.
What is the position regarding life-threatening threats from a known person who happens to live in America, over the internet.
Basically, we have been ripped off by a Yank and we have now revealed that scam on the internet so that others are not taken in. Since then my wife has recieved various threats to dismember, assault, kill etc, by this person, both on IM on the internet, and by phone. Other people are also coming forward re. this scam and the evidence, to me anyway, is pretty substantial, but the cost of trying to prosecute in America is prohibitive.
What can we do. My wife is very distressed by this, obviously.
Thanks in advance for any help.

[Shobhna]

Suggest you ring your local nick and ask if they have a department that deals with cyber crime. I am sure they would deal, I read enough about it in the 'Computer Weekly' and 'Computing' and similar newspapers.

If you have no joy then ring your local Police Headquarters, someone somewhere within the police force will deal with this.

I am sure the American authorities would be very interested too.

[oldcodger]

The USA takes this sort of thing VERY seriously.
Contact the national computer crime division of the FBI which is based in washington DC.

either e mail to nccs@fbi.gov
or phone usa 202-324-9164

Tell them that you suspect a breach of "the federal computer fraud and abuse act of 1986".

This act applies for any computer based crime that is committed in the USA even when the victim is overseas.

[Burratha]

Hi.

This is, unfortunately, becoming more and more common as more people are becoming "hooked" up to the Internet. The nature of the Internet allows would-be fraudsters to cloak their true identity and set up potential scams etc.

Having read your first post, I feel I may be one of the better qualified to answer it, although please note that Force policy changes depending on what part of the country you originate from. I work in West Yorkshire Police, so can obviously only vouch for their current working procedures.

You state the suspect lives in the US. This obviously complicates things, somewhat, in such that the enquiry cannot remain in the UK. It will have to be eventually forwarded to the US for their local enforcement officers to progress. Jurisdiction of UK officers ends at the shores of the UK.

Your first point of call should be to gather all your evidence and report the matter to your local police station. There is no need to approach a hi-tech unit at this point, as the initial report can be taken by anyone. Any specialist involvement will be initiated by the reporting officer, so that's one thing less for you to worry about.

Make copies of all correspondence you have received - try and include everything, so the whole report can be taken in context. If the correspondence is email-based, please ensure you provide copies of all header information. Click here (http://www.haltabuse.org/help/headers/) to find out how to do this.

Once you have all this information, pass it on (copies) to the police officer.

As the enquiry will (ultimately) be passed over to the US authorities, the local officer will have to provide an evidence package in order for them to be able to investigate it properly. This would normally include the following: Statement of evidence (typed) Copies of all correspondence (exhibited correctly) A covering reportOnce all this is obtained, the officer would then forward the package onto his/her local Interpol Liaison officer. Please note, this would then be the last the officer would hear of the case until a result is obtained. The case would then find its way over to the local area where the suspect lives, and would be dealt with by the local authorities.

The officer should then make the necessary enquiries to trace the location of the offender. This is important, as the officer has to know the location where to send the evidence package once completed. These enquiries would normally include IP and email subscriber checks, with the addition of IM account checks where appropriate.

Unfortunately, this all takes time, so please be patient.

As I have mentioned above, each force has its own guidelines methods of dealing with various cases. Please don't expect all to do the same.

In the least case, the officer should take a report, and most probably a statement - provided the offence is serious enough to justify the work involved in involving Interpol and sending the evidence files abroad (which I see is the case in your report)

Finally, please note you might not necessarily receive a crime number from your report. NCRS (National Crime Recording Standards) state that a crime need not be recorded if the offender (source) is located outside the UK.


Anyway, good luck, and I hope the matter is resolved to your satifaction.

[scoobydoo]

Very many thanks for the advice, everybody. As I suspected, first stop is the local nick. I think we have pretty solid evidence but I wanted to make sure that some sort of procedure was in place to deal with a crime/complaint of this nature.
Will keep you posted, cheers guys.

[Burratha]

Please do :)

No problem re the advice. All we ask is that people hang around a bit and see what's going on in the other forums. We don't bite ;)

Except Wazza, maybe :D

[SB118]

On the topic of threatening phone calls, i was wondering what the legalities are of recording your incoming phone calls. I know you have to declare to the third party that the call is being monitored, but is this still the case if it's a threatening or harrasing call?

[oldcodger]

I am sure the advice given by Burratha is the right thing to do.
BUT - when I had this sort of problem a few years ago the local nick were not interested.
"its only threats, sir, and he is 3000 miles away" was the response.

As in your case my wife (and daughter) were very upset over it all.

I phoned an american friend who advised me to notify the FBI. I had a call from them within 24 hours. I was asked to make a statement at the US embassy in London.

The whole thing stopped 2 days later.

[Burratha]

Sounds like a plan :)


Also sounds like either an antiquated force policy, or ignorance on the reporting officer's behalf.

[russ]

Very interesting thread. Impressive advice :)

[wazza]

Please do :)

. We don't bite ;)

Except Wazza, maybe :D


GGGGRRRRRRRRRROOOWWWWLLLLLLLLLLLLL :p I am a fluffy bunny really.
(Hmmmm Fluffy Bunny, where have I heard that before?)

[Kris]

I must admit I like OLdcodgers FBI suggestion best...having seen them in action first hand on computer related offences they are very very good !!!!!

[oldcodger]

I think it would be best to try the UK end first. If no luck then try the US end.

For those who are interested this site has a lot of info about what the FBI will or won't deal with as regards computer crime.

www.emergency.com/fbi-nccs.htm (http://www.emergency.com/fbi-nccs.htm)

[Burratha]

I must admit I like OLdcodgers FBI suggestion best...having seen them in action first hand on computer related offences they are very very good !!!!!

Difficult one. On one hand they can be excellent for cases such as Oldcodger's (however things may have changed these days, due to the fact almost everyone uses the Internet) - they can also prove frustrating due to the US' freedom of speech laws.

[Katana]

Difficult one. On one hand they can be excellent for cases such as Oldcodger's (however things may have changed these days, due to the fact almost everyone uses the Internet) - they can also prove frustrating due to the US' freedom of speech laws.The Patriot Act sorts of cancels out that effect mate. Freedom of speech is still there, but threats are no longer protected by it. American law is different from ours..

[G-Rich]

On the topic of threatening phone calls, i was wondering what the legalities are of recording your incoming phone calls. I know you have to declare to the third party that the call is being monitored, but is this still the case if it's a threatening or harrasing call?

Can I record telephone conversations on my home phone?
Yes. The relevant law, RIPA, does not prohibit individuals from recording their own communications provided that the recording is for their own use. Recording or monitoring are only prohibited where some of the contents of the communication - which can be a phone conversation or an e-mail - are made available to a third party, ie someone who was neither the caller or sender nor the intended recipient of the original communication. For further information contact the Home Office (http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk (http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/)).

If you are a business, there are stricter rules, but the main points are that if you are recording for the prevention and detection of crime, you do not have to state you are recording.

[Dr M]

In the short term, contact your internet provider. Over the past few years, they have taken a dim view of cyber crimes, and would be able to offer assistance to you. Again present them with your evidence, and they should be able to block the person who is threatning you from using the net.