posted on July 28, 2004 04:16:13 PM
On my answering machine, dated Monday, 8 pm. A enraged man's voice.
"You f------g c--t thief! I'm gonna <words are unintelligble>. You are gonna f-----g burn you f------g c--t thief! <more unintelligible> you f------g thief c--t!"
No, he didn't leave a name or auction number. Surprised?
posted on July 28, 2004 04:58:59 PM
I reported it to the police and a nice officer came out and essentially said what I expected: that there's no way to trace it.
Due to the unique nature of eBay transactions, it may even be a customer with a female name (a guy who uses his wife's account or a guy who thinks I ripped off his wife).
Looks like it's back to having payments sent to the post office box.
posted on July 28, 2004 05:30:11 PM
That's horrible. I had that happen once, although not with eBay. A client of ours was commiting fraud against Medicare and I was obligated to turn him in since I do the billing. He threaten to blow my head off and in front of witnesses. The police told me there was nothing they could do until he actually commits a crime. That's a comforting thought.
I hope it all works out okay for you. Like MAH645 said, it will probably be a nasty neg. Then at least you'll know. I have a PO Box, but I haven't used it in a while. Maybe it's not a bad idea for anyone. Good luck!!!!
Cheryl
. . .if you still try to defend the infamies and horrors perpetrated by that Antichrist- I really believe he is Antichrist- I will have nothing more to do with you and you are no longer my friend.. . - War and Peace, Tolstoy
posted on July 28, 2004 06:25:57 PM
If a schizophrenic inpatient, in a mental hospital, while their medication is off, threatens their physician can be arrested, removed from the hospital and thrown in jail for "terroristic threatening", I would imagine this wack-job could have been!
posted on July 28, 2004 06:40:51 PM
Take the tape out of the answering machine. Photograph it and write up a good description and list it on Ebay in the weird stuff category. It ought to bring a good price and you can buy a good answering machine where all the threats will be legible. Future tapes will bring even more. If you piss off enough whackos, you can get rich!!
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on July 28, 2004 06:58:59 PM
Which again just rang that bell in my head. Anyone know any rules or whatevers that would block me from having post office boxes in my warehouse? Sellers in my local area or for that fact anyone who cares to, having their mail delivered here for pick up or perhaps forwarding it to their physical location from here.(aha! another little EXTRA fee! $10.00 a month to forward.) I just receive and pass out received mail and or forward it. thoughts?
1000 customers, $10.00 a month. no contract, pay as you go. Ha! Post Office boxes U.S.A. does the same thing? right? That idea MUST have Po'ed the P.O. at one time and raised a stink.
just remembering,,,I do believe to the Feds tried to STOP private enterprise from delivering the mail at one time years ago? Correct? Hello, UPS, FED EX. Etc.
posted on July 28, 2004 07:10:27 PM
It sounds like you got his order mixed up,and sent him one of those Magnum condoms instead of the small one he ordered.
And he had no way of using it!
posted on July 28, 2004 07:15:15 PM
Iarea..Actually, I was kidding about PO'ing whackos and getting rich, but I was serious about listing the tape. Create a title like " Podunk, Ill PD Coverup of Terrorist Threat - Actual Tape " and go on to describe the circumastance of the Police telling you there's nothing that can be done. List it for 10 days at a price high enough that it probably won't sell, then relist it for another 10 days at a price that will sell. Use the Ebay "Send this auction to a friend" feature to forward a copy of the auction to the Chief of police, the district attorney, and every city council member in your city. Tell them you will end the auction when they have a suspect behind bars.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on July 28, 2004 07:24:07 PM
Oh teach...this is exactly why I pay $48 per year for a PO Box and have a cell phone for the contact number...all it took was one time to scare me spitless and I began using another user name.
The phone calls lasted for three weeks, everyday until I had my phone disconnected and the police could do nothing. (my little brother is a police sergent so I know they REALLY could do nothing). Good luck to you!
posted on July 28, 2004 08:02:08 PM
Sometimes it seems like some people bid on one of yours auctions with starting trouble in mind. I swear I've had a few of those. Sorry this happened to you.
posted on July 28, 2004 08:24:27 PM
Teacher, Do you think it could be a former student?
Seriously though time to update your home security. If the cops over there are as useful as the ones we have, it will be better not to rely on them. Here is a little humour to help you feel better.
Regards,
Adrian.
posted on July 28, 2004 08:27:57 PM
I had considered the idea of getting a P.O. box, and a cell phone or voice mail for my contact number. I decided to hell with it and got a Rottweiler instead. Every salesman he chases off, he gets a barbecued chuck steak. He would love to meet a psycho bidder. He has an eye on those porterhouses I have in the freezer.
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on July 28, 2004 09:16:52 PM
Well then, raise the opening bid and sell the whole machine. With callers like that, why would you want to keep it?
A $75.00 solid state device will always blow first to protect a 25 cent fuse ~ Murphy's Law
posted on July 29, 2004 02:25:00 AM
Iarea: can you post the auction or the bidders user name so we can block him/her?
Sometimes it seems like some people bid on one of yours auctions with starting trouble in mind. I swear I've had a few of those. Sorry this happened to you.
Mah, that is the understatement of the year on ebay and with ebayers. Too many, have wayyyy too much time on their hands. But a certain Karma always prevails...I've seen it over and over again.
posted on July 29, 2004 04:46:23 AM
good morning iareateacher
I believe if you call your phone company they can find out about the call and will also put a tracer on the line in case he calls again. The phone company does not like their equipment used to harass or threaten people.
As far as police not being able to do anything until there is a crime.. That is a Crock!! uttering threats is a crime.
I googled and found lots of sites indicating people were charged with "uttering threats"
i.e verbal assault.
Sarnia is right. Even if you don't specifically have caller ID, the phone company can put a tap on your line. If you get another call, you give them the exact time of the call, and they will match the time with the phone number and give the number to the cops.
The disadvantage is that they won't give you the phone number. They'll only give it to the cops.
Also, even if you don't have caller ID, a lot of fax machines have caller ID as a built-in feature.
If you don't have caller ID now and you decide to get it, you can also opt for "anonymous call rejection." If someone tries to call you from a line where they've blocked their ID, they have to dial a separate code
that will ID them before the call goes through.
If you can get an ID, T&S has a separate reporting form for "threats of bodily harm."
Posting to that T&S board can also get your complaint noticed faster.
Whoever posted that newspaper clip - that's hilarious.
