What is wrong with some people?

[doorframe]

There are some members of our species who really defy belief. This is petty, but it upset SWIMBO and it fills me with rage.

One of our cats went missing. Totally out of character. After 48hrs it was obvious that something was wrong. My boss was kind enough to let me print 'Missing' posters, over 500 of them. SWIMBO and I went door to door every eve and weekend for 2 weeks, knocking, asking, and handing out the posters. Also, we advertised in the local paper, and put laminated posters on over 100 lamp posts and street signs around about a 2 mile radius. All local vets were notified, numerous 'lost and found' websites populated, and the national register for microchip identification informed. I'm a softie. It wasn't only SWIMBO that had tears.

We put our home phone number, and SWIMBO's mobile number on all the posters (I don't have a mobile phone). Among the many prank calls we received, and also among the LESS offensive calls we (she) received, were gems along the lines of....

"I've found your cat. It's in Canada, you FAT S*AG". And... "Your cat's dead. I've killed it"

And plenty more that SWIMBO was too upset to repeat to me.

All these calls were made from 'with-held' numbers. And from males and females alike.

Fortunately the decent side of humanity also responded, although none of the calls led to a safe return.

The upside is that our furry friend did return. In a bit of a state, but in one piece.


We've now added a block on with-held numbers on our house phone. £2.75 per month with Virgin. It's taken a bit of an effort to do this to SWIMBO's mobile. We had to buy her a cheap 'smart-phone', an Android, and install an 'app', called Mr Numbers, to get a block.

What the hell is wrong with some people?

 

[Woodchips2]

Glad to hear your furry friend came back =D>

Some people are just sick in the head. Their time will come and they will probably look for sympathy!

Regards Keith

 

[finneyb]

Empty headed morons who will not have the balls to say anything face - to - face so use the anonymity of the telephone, facebook, twitter or road rage etc .
A product of ineffective contraception.

Brian

 

[Graham Orm]

Trolls when online, spineless idiots when not. Probably all teenagers. Glad you got your cat back.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Don't forget your bank, doctors, hospital etc. are likely to be withheld numbers. That's a downside.

 

[Noel]

Not a nice situation, especially in the circumstances but good there was a happy outcome.
Report the time and details of the call, to the police if necessary. The numbers are only with-held from you, not your provider.
And as mentioned you could miss important calls by blocking no id calls.

 

[rafezetter]

if any were of a threatening nature (even mildly) and you can recall an approximate time of them, you can contact the police, then your phone company will comply with telling you the numbers of who made the calls - while they may have withheld the number from you using the internal system - the actual system itself still knows who they are, and when, where the phone was when the call was made.

it can still be traced, and the owner of said number (if it isn't a pay as you go) can be cautioned as though they made the threatening remarks face to face.

 

[Mark A]

if any were of a threatening nature (even mildly) and you can recall an approximate time of them, you can contact the police, then your phone company will comply with telling you the numbers of who made the calls - while they may have withheld the number from you using the internal system - the actual system itself still knows who they are, and when, where the phone was when the call was made.

it can still be traced, and the owner of said number (if it isn't a pay as you go) can be cautioned as though they made the threatening remarks face to face.

Yes, and then you get a brick thrown through your living room window or a car vandalised. I'd advise caution here because as galling as it might be to let it go, is it worth the upset of your property being damaged?

 

[doorframe]

Now that the moggie is home and doing (surprisingly) well, and with the with-held numbers blocked on home and mobile, SWIMBO is happy with the status quo. It would be nice to meet with some of these people, if only to try to get through to them, and ask them why they feel the need to act that way, but I doubt any good would come of it.

The bonus of all this is we haven't had a single nuisance call since the blocking was put in place.

Thanks to all for your responses.

 

[Graham Orm]

Have you been round and removed all the posters?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Yes, around our way they leave the nails in the trees.

 

[doorframe]

Our council get a bit funny about nails or staples in trees, so I cable tied everything to lamp posts and sign posts. I'm fairly confident I got all the posters that the local kids didn't rip down.

Grayorm, is that your moggie? When did he/she go missing?

 

[Graham Orm]

Ha, no it's just a pic I downloaded, thought it was coincidental. Glad all is well for you. We have 2 dogs, both are chipped and have collars with a phone number on. One is an escape artist but always turns up within the hour whenever she gets out.

 

[david123]

There some sick people out there. Spineless cowards that hide in the shadows. I feel sorrow for the shallow lives that they lead, there can be no joy in a life like that.

Glad your furry family member returned safe and well.