Whoa - I received a death threat via email!!!
@jewelenterprises (1996)
Australia
June 3, 2008 7:57am CST
This is so freaky it has me looking over my shoulder all the time. A couple of weeks ago I received an email stating that someone wanted me killed but that in the course of watching me the person/group who sent the email had realised I was innocent of what the person who paid for the hit had accused me of.
They asked me to contact them within one week if I valued my life.
Well, I didn't contact them. Mainly because if the threat were real they would make sure they demonstrated that they new personal details about me and the email lacked evidence of that. The didn't address me by name, state my home address, where I worked or anything. I considered sending the email to authorities but chose not to because I didn't want to look foolish.
The problem is, even though I know this was a scam (most probably looking to get me to pay a protection sum or something like that). I still find that I am being a little paranoid about people watching me. If a car parks out the front of the house and the driver sits inside etc, it's making me wonder what the heck he/she is doing there. It's not a nice feeling at all.
Has anything like this ever happened to you? What did you do about it?
8 people like this
13 responses
@browneyed (2522)
• United Kingdom
3 Jun 08
It's never happened to me, but I'm so sorry it happened to you. It's just plain wrong.
Sending you good good thoughts, love.
2 people like this
@jewelenterprises (1996)
• Australia
4 Jun 08
Thank you, the support of my online friends does make me feel a little better.
1 person likes this
@mychattime (1013)
•
3 Jun 08
Oh no thats terrible, I'd be the same, looking over my shoulder etc. You really should take it to the Police or someone as this could be happening to other people and they can then log it and hopefully find out what nasty nasty person sent it.
Keep hold of the email and if you get anything else, which I hope you don't then please inform the authorities, there is no way you would look foolish! Take Care
2 people like this
@jewelenterprises (1996)
• Australia
4 Jun 08
I wish I'd saved it but I just snorted and deleted the darn thing. In hindsight I would have reported it... especially considering the emotional effect it has had on me.
@mychattime (1013)
•
4 Jun 08
Never mind everyone deletes things by accident . . I do it all the time, hopefully it'll never happen again but if it does report it. Take care x
@recycledgoth (9894)
•
3 Jun 08
These thigns are horrible and designed to upset. You are right to ignore it even though it has now made you paranoid and miserable. I would be inclined to report this kind of email to the service provider so that they can try to stop them
@jewelenterprises (1996)
• Australia
4 Jun 08
A couple of people have suggested that I should report it anyway, just to give authorities the heads up on it. I might just do that. Then, if anyone else reports it they are more likely to take it seriously.
@checapricorn (16061)
• United States
3 Jun 08
wow! Just be vigilant and very careful jewelenterprise but I can feel also that it is a scam and just a strategy for any foo**sh individual who have nothing to do in life! I have not experience that but I got scam emails like winning million and whatsoever, but I just ignore them because I know that I didn't join any contest and no reason for me to win!
2 people like this
@jewelenterprises (1996)
• Australia
4 Jun 08
Yeah, I ignore those ones too.
I keep trying to tell myself that I've never done anything to make anyone hate me that much but the fact is that I am NOT popular with my ex husbands family... and there are a couple of people there that I wouldn't trust.
Now I know this time it's just a scam... but what would happen if one of them decided to organise a hit on me?
@twallace (2675)
• United States
3 Jun 08
It could have been a mistake or something. I would not take that seriously unless they used my name and my address. There are certain things that they would have to say for me to take that email to heart. I have not had anything like that happen to me before. Then most of the time when i check my email if I'm not sure of who or what the email is i just delete it.
@jewelenterprises (1996)
• Australia
4 Jun 08
I know what you mean, I didn't take it to heart because of that lack of detail.
But it's just the mental processes that it led to that is freaking me out. See my response above.
@Remembering1996 (2219)
• United States
4 Jun 08
Wow that is freaky I would be scared to if I was you. I would have the authorities look at this for this is spam as well as a life threat and people will get in seriouse trouble for this. The authorities can track where it came from and take it from there. Noone deserves to be threatened like you have and you honestly should do something about it and right away. Who know's if they haven't done it to others and are getting away with this when they shouldn't. You won't look foolish reporting this for the authorities love looking into this kind of thing and catching the one's that do this type of stuff. I hope you reconsider your decision and make the call and show them that threating e-mail good luck take care.
2 people like this
@jewelenterprises (1996)
• Australia
4 Jun 08
Well, I can't show them the email as I deleted it. But I am considering reporting it verbally. That way, if they receive more reports it can give them an idea of what's going on, how many people the email is being sent to etc.
I'm surprised it has shaken me as much as it has, considering that my gut instinct says it's a scam.
@Bugsey (775)
• United States
14 Jul 08
Call the police if only for your peace of mind and make a proper report. Have the police trace the isp of the sender of the email and find out who that person is. Usually, the police may think that it's not a biggie but they will help you if you tell them that you think that your life is being threatened.
Yes, something like this has happened to me before but what I did was have the ISP traced and I found out that it was just one psycho who has a penchant of sending threats at Facebook and he was into "cyber-jihad". I reported him to the FBI.
@jewelenterprises (1996)
• Australia
17 Jul 08
Yikes, that sounds scary.
Problem is that I deleted the email straight away... but it made me paranoid later.
If any thing like that ever happens again I will certainly be reporting it.
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
4 Jun 08
Good Grief I'd be concerned, and in this day and age it may be more foolish to not alert the police as do nothing. I would definately be looking over my shoulder too. Do you live alone? If so do you know a neighbour or someone close by? Maybe I am paranoid but I don't want anything to happen to you. Please be careful my friend.
1 person likes this
@jewelenterprises (1996)
• Australia
4 Jun 08
Thankfully, I don't live alone. But that just makes me worry for my family too.
Lack of any personal details indicates a scam so I'm sure I'll be okay but it's a sick world we live in these days so you just never know for sure who may be stalking you.
@lordwarwizard (35747)
• Singapore
4 Jun 08
Geez, at first thought, wow, that's cool! Someone is paying so much attention to you!
Not no, I take that back. That is UNcool. Not cool at all!
This is a very serious thing and I pray that God will keep you safe!
Please make a police report soon if you have not already. God bless.
@jewelenterprises (1996)
• Australia
5 Jun 08
A couple of other people who have responded have given a couple of links to sites indicating that this is a scam which originally started in December 2006.
It would appear that either the original perpetrators were not all caught or that they now have copycat followers.
Either way, it is not nice to receive something like this so I'm glad it's just a scam (still, it has left me emotionally shaken though)
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
4 Jun 08
I was stalked by a young man when I wasin my early twenties
and he was just relentless.gifts every day and phone calls
allthe time, and coming to where I worked in the hospital.
so I agreed on a date just to get him out of my hair. bad
'idea. he pulled out an expensive diamond ring and asked
me to marryhim. I had never been with him before and did not
even like the man. I tried to tactfully let him down and he'
went absolutely beserk, tryiing to choke me so I ran out of
'the restaurant and hailed a cab. then I went to the police'
and got a restraining order. his dad a prominent lawyer
immediately moved his son to some eastern state to stay with
his mom who was divorced from his dad. I was never so glad in
my life as I was truly afraid for mylife.
1 person likes this
@jewelenterprises (1996)
• Australia
5 Jun 08
I'm sorry you had to go through that, he sounds like he was a real freak.
Mind you, he should have been punished rather than just being relocated. Guess that's the benefit of having a hotshot lawyer for a father.
I can imagine how relieved you were though... even though that experience is a LOT more freaky than just receiving a threatening email.
@22angel22 (450)
• United States
4 Jun 08
I would contact you're local police department. When I was younger my brother had a stalker that sent letters to him and would write things on his locker at school. I'm his only sister and the person desribed very graffic things that they would do to me (I was only in 2nd grade). My parents did contact the police. It took about 5 months, but we found out who it was. My brothers best friend who was staying in our home during those months of us worried about what was going on. Letter were being sent to him as well, but really by himself and his mom had helped him! This was a crazy family. During this whole situation, I wasn't allowed to sleep by myself, I had to sleep in my parents room and dad got an attack dog.
I still see this guy from time to time and he still gives me a sick feeling in my stomach. Because he was a minor he didn't get into any trouble other than probation, same with his mom.
Now as far as your situation, I would call the police station for nothing else other than advice. They will at least be able to tell you what you should do and if any one else in your town has received this emails. Don't feel like a fool, they won't think you worrying about your own personal saftey is foolish.
@jewelenterprises (1996)
• Australia
5 Jun 08
Ewww, what creep, and what a sick family! His own mother encouraged and helped him to do that. I wonder what he's like now. If he's still the same then he will eventually end up in jail.
Reminds me a little of my mothers next door neighbour at one time. The woman went psycho and claimed that she was being stalked. The 'stalker' even wrote "I'll get you!" on her bedroom window in lipstick (her lipstick)... it turned out in the end that she was creating an elaborate hoax to make it look like she was being stalked. She ended up in the psych hospital. Their are some strange and VERY disturbed people out there.
I'm considering whether I should report it, even though I don't have the email. But reporting it may give authorities a better picture of how widespread (or not) it is.
@inia_54 (175)
• Malaysia
17 Jul 08
Anybody would be paranoid if he/she gets threat like that. I have never got one. But if I do, the safest place is to go to the police and get some advice. At least if you feel you are being followed you can quickly contact the police and since you already have a report they would act quickly. Always have someone to accompany you. And keep a protecting device in you handbag.
@jewelenterprises (1996)
• Australia
17 Jul 08
A couple of people actually pointed me to a webpage that outlined this thing as a scam.
I guess it's just people in poor countries thinking that all westerners are rich and trying to extort money from them.
