Harassing and Threatening Phone Calls

California Penal Code Section 653m.(a)
Every person who, with intent to annoy, telephones or makes contact by means of an electronic communication device with another and addresses to or about the other person any obscene language or addresses to the other person any threat to inflict injury to the person or property of the person addressed or any member of his or her family, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Anyone can be the victim of harassing, annoying, obscene or threatening phone calls. These may include random calls by pranksters, calls at hours when you are sleeping, frequent pointless calls or those where the caller says nothing, obscene calls, calls from former romantic interests, or calls where some threat is made against you, those you live with or your property.

These calls are intended to upset you, either for revenge or to gratify the caller’s personal urges. Most can be prevented or avoided by learning and using some simple techniques to decrease your potential for victimization.

• Your telephone is for your personal use and service. The telephone is under your control and you are not obligated to talk to anyone. HANG UP if the caller doesn't speak or if you simply don’t feel comfortable talking to the caller.
• Ask for the caller’s identity or affiliation. If the caller makes an improper response or does not respond immediately, HANG UP.
• Some ‘silent’ callers are looking for a response and may want you to become angry or scared. Don’t give them the satisfaction.
• If the caller asks, “Who is this?” or “What number have I reached?” DON’T ANSWER. Instead ask, “Whom do you want?” or “What number did you call?” If the call is not legitimate, that will probably end it.
• Don’t give out any information to anyone you don’t positively recognize or who fails to give you satisfactory ID or affiliation. If the caller asks for your roommate, simply say that you will be happy to take a message. Under no circumstances should you give the names of others living with you to someone who doesn't already know them.
• If a caller persists after you have made it clear you don’t want to talk to them, the simplest response is to HANG UP; Or you might tap the disconnect buttons and say, “Operator, this is the call I wanted traced.”

Remember, don’t speak unless you want to, don’t give out any information, and don’t respond to questions if you don’t know the caller.

Threatening Calls:
Occasionally, a caller may threaten you, your property or those with whom you live. These are unusual and extreme events and should not be handled with the routine methods described earlier. Notify YCCDPD immediately at Marysville campus (530) 741-6771 or 870-1158 after 4:30 p.m. Woodland Campus (530) 681-8782 if on campus, or your local police department.

Dealing with Malicious Calls:
In spite of your best efforts, it is possible that you could become the victim of a series of malicious phone calls. If this should happen, it is important for you to do several things to help the police:

• Notify YCCDPD immediately (Marysville campus (530) 741-6771 Woodland Campus (530) 681-8782) if on campus or your local police department.
• Start a log. Write down the date, time and actions of the caller (silent, threatening, obscene, etc.)
• Notify everyone you live with. Do not mention it in public, as the caller may get satisfaction from hearing you are distressed. Also, the caller may become cautious if they hear the police have been notified.

Ending the Calls:
You can avoid or end unwanted malicious phone calls.

• Following a police report, if obscene, threatening or annoying phone calls continue, it is possible to install a phone trap to identify the telephone(s) where the calls originate.
• It is often possible to have your telephone number changed. The new number can remain unlisted.

Precautions You Can Take:

• Consider listing your phone number by last name and first initial only.
• If you want your number unlisted, coordinate that with your roommates.
• Use an answering machine to screen your calls. Many machines allow you to hear the voice of the caller responding to your message before you pick up the phone.

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