How can I get the phone number of the person who is prank calling me??

GTP 044 · 13-06-2013, 01:10 PM

Hi everyone,

Long story short, I have been getting prank calls at all hours of the night and I've had Optus investigate for me. They have worked out who it is and they have sent them a warning letter but due to "privacy laws" they won't tell me who it was. I am 99% sure who it is as this person has history in doing this before and has previously been sent warning letters about it from other network providers. There is a court case coming up soon which involves this person for a different matter but if I had proof that it was in fact them who was pranking me, it might help in court to prove what sort of a person they are.
Does anybody know if you are able to get this info given to you from the phone provider, and if so how do I get it??

Thanks in advance,

Greg.

Yellow_Festiva · 13-06-2013, 01:17 PM

Court order? Perhaps mention it as a requirement for your case to your legal rep?

Yes, due to privacy there is really no way... unless you know a person who works for the telco who is willing to break the law to help you.

Marquis · 13-06-2013, 01:23 PM

Press *69 (star 69) when you pick up your phone. It will tell you the number of the last called number,unless it is a private number. If private it will tell you it is and will not give no. to you.
Worked great. I called back a pranker (was a kids brother who got expelled from my boys school) Told him I have his number and I will call his mum and the cops. Have not had a call since.

XB GS 351 Coupe · 13-06-2013, 01:25 PM

No, they can not give you any info about another person by law, even police can not get that information, unless they have a special reason to access it ie death threats or kidnapping or similar, and then they have to apply for that information in writing, get it approved by a supervisor of above sergeant level. And unless they have good reason they won't get the info, ie threats being made. Simply phone calls and hanging up is not enough. Police will ask you to change your number, before they will even consider to take any further action.

Best solution I have found for this problem is turn the phone off (that way it won't ring in the middle of the night) or simply do what I do and do not answer private numbers, if you don't feed the troll they soon get bored of ringing you.

All my family and friends know I do not answer private numbers, so I know if a private number is calling me it's most likely someone I don't want to speak to anyway.

05_ENFORCER · 13-06-2013, 01:26 PM

Go to your local cop shop and make a formal complaint

.

**GasoLane** · 13-06-2013, 02:34 PM

Buy a whistle... like the footy refs have.

Itsme · 13-06-2013, 02:42 PM

For peace of mind, change your number to a private listing & give it to close confidants only.

GTP 044 · 13-06-2013, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GasOLane

Buy a whistle... like the footy refs have.

Phone only rings twice and hangs up before you can answer it.

blueoval · 13-06-2013, 03:03 PM

I had this happen to me. I suspected it was an 'ex-mate' of mine whom I no longer have dealings with. I only came to this conclusion because he used to do it to others when we were mates.

He turned off his 'phone ID' when calling so it would come up as a private number. Get someone else to pretend they are from some place. Either a sex health clinic, or something really seedy like that. I'd call them out on it and hang up.

I eventually 'black listed' their number on my Samsung Galaxy S2 and havent had a prank since. The black listing feature bars all their calls and texts to your phone. That said, they could still do it if they wanted via another phone but to me it was clear he wanted a laugh at the time.

Other than changing your number which I know is a complete pain considering the years of contacts you have and businesses that rely on calling you, there is little you can do to combat this.

1971 · 13-06-2013, 03:09 PM

talk dirty about his mother.

Super Roo 1970 · 13-06-2013, 03:40 PM

If its a home phone leave it off the hook when you go to bed. Then let others know that any emergency contact calls go to your mobile.
If they are ringing the mobile and you have a newer ifail or android there is the "do not disturb" or "blocking mode" where you can lock the phone to not ring between certain times. With this mode you can set who can break through that feature for emergencies etc.
On my phone I have added an ap that automatically sends all private numbers directly to message bank without even ringing on my end. You can also set it to screen out other particular numbers also.

Iggypoppin' · 13-06-2013, 04:34 PM

What's that app that can block private number calls super roo 1970?

ratter · 13-06-2013, 04:52 PM

interested in this app also

FGII-XR6 · 13-06-2013, 05:00 PM

if you have a court case coming up you can get the police to subpoena the results of the investigation ( assuming it is a police case. if it is not a police case you solicitor can subpoena the records

burnz · 13-06-2013, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ratter

interested in this app also

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iggypoppin'

What's that app that can block private number calls super roo 1970?

its not an app, its with the android phone.

save the number, then select block this contact.
or select block all private calls..

Iggypoppin' · 13-06-2013, 05:22 PM

Damn I have an iPhone :(

burnz · 13-06-2013, 05:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iggypoppin'

Damn I have an iPhone :(

didn't the latest iPhone update include block/ignore private numbers?

ratter · 13-06-2013, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Iggypoppin'

Damn I have an iPhone :(

me too

ratter · 13-06-2013, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burnz

didn't the latest iPhone update include block/ignore private numbers?

have not done the latest update for my 3G iphone as I have been told it may clash with the bluetooth in my FG

JamesR · 13-06-2013, 06:48 PM

if the number is showing up, try googling it. sometimes it will show who it is.

burnz · 13-06-2013, 06:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JamesR

if the number is showing up, try googling it. sometimes it will show who it is.

http://www.reverseaustralia.com/

monte.b · 13-06-2013, 07:43 PM

you need to make a complaint to the federal police ,it is a crime to harass people on the phone

Super Roo 1970 · 13-06-2013, 10:24 PM

The AP I use is called Mr. Number. Its on Android and its free also. It allows you to select normal or blocked numbers to either divert to message bank or hang up on.

Cant help for an ifail equivalent, but Id expect there to be one.

XB GS 351 Coupe · 14-06-2013, 04:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monte.b

you need to make a complaint to the federal police ,it is a crime to harass people on the phone

Haha your kidding right?? The feds would not even talk to you about this, they deal with matters of national security not prank calls

Even the local coppers would probably not even worry about it if it is only hang ups and just tell you to change your number or turn your phone off.

monte.b · 14-06-2013, 09:05 PM

Sorry i guess google is wrong

HOW TO: stop unwelcome and nuisance phone calls | Telstra ...
exchange.telstra.com.au › Telstra News‎
Jul 10, 2012 – Nuisance and prank calls can be a serious annoyance if they ... From there it should be a simple matter of a few keystrokes to identify the calling number. ..... call will be recorded and may be forwarded to the Federal Police.

FGII-XR6 · 14-06-2013, 09:09 PM

it is a police matter and the only ones that would try to avoid action are the lazy ones

Quote:

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

Haha your kidding right?? The feds would not even talk to you about this, they deal with matters of national security not prank calls

Even the local coppers would probably not even worry about it if it is only hang ups and just tell you to change your number or turn your phone off.

XB GS 351 Coupe · 15-06-2013, 05:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by au3xr6

it is a police matter and the only ones that would try to avoid action are the lazy ones

Has nothing to do with laziness but everything to do with the law.

So before it becomes a police matter a criminal offence has to be committed, no crime and police won't want to know about it, as police deal with crime. Simply calling a phone number is NOT a crime, it might be a nuisance, but it is not a crime punishable under criminal law.

First of all you must demonstrate that you have been proactive yourself, so you must have made some attempts to to avoid the situation, such as changing your phone number. So generally the first thing police will ask you to do is change your phone number.

Once a crime has been committed, such as direct threats made, then it becomes a police matter. Without a crime having been committed police will not be allowed to access or trace any private numbers as I mentioned before any number enquiries have to approved by a high level supervisor, and there has to be a genuine reason/risk/danger/thread before it will be signed off on, and this has to be genuine as it otherwise would constitute a breach of privacy.

FGII-XR6 · 15-06-2013, 08:04 AM

check the law, making calls with the intention to harass is actually a federal offence in breach of the telecommunications act

Quote:

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

Has nothing to do with laziness but everything to do with the law.

So before it becomes a police matter a criminal offence has to be committed, no crime and police won't want to know about it, as police deal with crime. Simply calling a phone number is NOT a crime, it might be a nuisance, but it is not a crime punishable under criminal law.

First of all you must demonstrate that you have been proactive yourself, so you must have made some attempts to to avoid the situation, such as changing your phone number. So generally the first thing police will ask you to do is change your phone number.

Once a crime has been committed, such as direct threats made, then it becomes a police matter. Without a crime having been committed police will not be allowed to access or trace any private numbers as I mentioned before any number enquiries have to approved by a high level supervisor, and there has to be a genuine reason/risk/danger/thread before it will be signed off on, and this has to be genuine as it otherwise would constitute a breach of privacy.

GTP 044 · 15-06-2013, 08:12 AM

The thing that annoys me is that the person who is making the prank calls seems to have more rights than the person who is receiving the calls.

FGII-XR6 · 15-06-2013, 08:21 AM

as I said earlier the details can be released for the court case. the reason they won't give them to you is you have no legal standing. also if you were to use the information to seek revenge ( like giving him a thumping) he could then sue the Telco. use the legal process and he will get his in court

Quote:

Originally Posted by au3xr6

if you have a court case coming up you can get the police to subpoena the results of the investigation ( assuming it is a police case. if it is not a police case you solicitor can subpoena the records