Dealing with Malicious Calls

Although malicious and nuisance calls are relatively rare, when they do occur they may be upsetting for the recipient. Malicious calls can range in style. They may be silent calls, abusive, threatening, annoying or offensive. The following are a number of precautions you can take to try and tackle the problem.

1. Never answer any questions on the phone unless you know exactly who it is.
2. When recording your voicemail try not to provide too much information with regard to your location. Sometimes using a male voice on your voicemail can deter nuisance calls to female mobile users. Sometimes it can be useful not to include your surname on your voicemail.
3. Stay calm. Most malicious or nuisance callers seek and emotional response from the person they call. It's better you remain calm and show no emotion.
4. Don't respond. If the call becomes offensive or unpleasant, say nothing. Either hang up at once or put down the mobile phone and leave it for a few minutes before hanging up. If they call again, try not answering the phone.
5. Go ex-directory
6. Contact the Gardaí. The Gardaí can follow various procedures including requesting eircom mobile (or, where applicable, the other authorised telecommunications service providers) to trace the source of the calls.

The making of malicious and nuisance calls is a criminal offence under Section 13(1) of the Post Office (Amendment) Act, 1951 (as amended by the Postal and Telecommunications Services Act, 1983) and under the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act, 1997. The penalties can be severe and a successful conviction can lead to a substantial fine or imprisonment or both.