Well everyone thank you for the help we have found the culprit. My wife is devasted right now that her son came home from his dad's and confessed that he was playing a practical joke. Now my wife can't stop crying and cant believe her son would do such a thing. thank you for all your help in tracking down all the info. Now to figure out what to do about my stepson.

It is crappy that your strp son did that cherokee. It is good to hear that no one was in real danger though .

Good to here that all is well!! I was on the verge of telling you to take a Texas attitude......answer phone, take an attitude, piss'em off, invite them to the dance.....and put a Colt's .45 in the face!!! Glad YOU didn't have to do that, but keep in mind, it does work

cherokee,

I am sorry you had to go through this, and I'll be praying for you and your family.

But thank you for sharing this! I learned a lot about this service and how it is already being abused. I would not know that if you had not shared your story. And thank you very much for being honest with us.

cherokee:

I too am glad there was no real threat, but I'm going to ask you for a favor...

PLEASE, follow through with contacting the senior management of the Call Center that handled the call. It is unacceptable that they participated in the transmission of a death threat! THAT MUST CHANGE. Also, do it in writing and demand an apology.

Let's us know what you learn. Thanks.

I'm glad you are all safe.

[edit on 26-2-2006 by loam]

Actually from what I have been reading talking to them will do no good. Here is the biggest problem I see with that service. If the operator's are not aloud to descriminate in what they are saying and are supposed to read everything that is typed and not pay attn. to it who is to say that terrorist can not use this to communicate and to beat it all with the FCC paying for it. That is what really scare's me. Our government should fix this loop whole now.

I understand it is a good service for deaf ppl and I am all for that but why not make so you have to be deaf to be able to download the software and use it. Maybe that is not a good option but there has to be some way to regulate use of this. I thought that was what the FCC was supposed to do.

Another interesting thing that I read on the link's provided was that verizon was against this type of service before it came out for this very reason, They now own MCI so it will be interesting to see what is implemented or if they just take the money like everyone else because they are making a fortune off of it.

Originally posted by cherokee
Actually from what I have been reading talking to them will do no good.

I disagree. You have the perfect opportunity to address this very real problem. Assisting in the communication of a DEATH THREAT is not protected by law.

Take your situation and scare the bejezus out of the execs at MCI, or whatever commercial entity, that runs the call center. Copy the FTC, FCC, your congressman...if it's a public company...write the board...MAKE NOISE.

It wont "solve" anything, but it will help.

I'm not sure on something now. Do the services use actual operators or is it an automated, you type - it talks, kind of deal? If it's the former I still can't see, even if they are getting paid, how they could continue going, passing on death threats to you. I just learned that you can do this same relay service through AIM by instant messaging 'My IP Relay' and I was told they use an automated service.

nope it is a real person on the other end. If you follow one of the links that was given it is a forum for digruntled operator's that work at these ip-relay center's.

I hate these kind of people, and should seriously be given an asskicking before getting shot in the head with a shotgun (to be sure they're dead), #ing faggots.

I had similar phone calls once, i called the police and they were of no help what so ever. so, i called the phone company and the gave me a temporary phone number for about two weeks till the person('s) stoped calling. i would call you local phone company and explain to them what is happening and ask them if they have a temp. number you can use or if they have any other ways to help.

Cherokee

I just read this, the moment I read your first post, I knew without a doubt it was the 14 yr old, I had this churning in my stomach when I thought of him, that is usually a sign that points out to me, that is the individual. But thought maybe he could have released some information by mistake on the web. and some nut with just a few bits of info got the entire rest by simply playing private I on here. Many web sites give out a ton of info for a low cost to some very sick people on this, who make a living at hunting down teens.
The warning I have for you is something that should be taken very seriously, about your teen, if he is playing pranks like this, then maybe he too is having fun on the internet, being a boy probably also he may think he is immune to pedophiles and just as bad murderers etc. All he has to do is give his state and then some nut with the right hacking know how, bingo has all your information - worse your teens info also!
So I cannot express to you enough, that maybe this happened for good cause, a red flag so to speak, to Really Warn Him and Show Him on the internet just how deadly this place can be!
I'm so glad you and your family are safe! I wish you all the best Cherokee,
Angel