UBB.threads PHP Forum Software Community Forums General Off Topic Online threats?

Hi everyone,

How does one protect themselves from online threats? Who would i report a threat to? Police? How would i make some kind of official record of a threat?

I have an issue that's relatively minor in the "online abuse" area. Some whacko threatened to put me "out of business."

In a nutshell, he, more or less, threatened to report me to the federal and state professional boards -- report me to the authorities that regulate compliance in my field. The implication is that he would file a fraudulent complaint that would cause an investigation which would be a great inconvenience and require a LOT of work. This investigation would be very big imposition on myself regardless of whether or not i was found being negligent or non compliant in any way.

Basically i want to get some kind of official record and then report them to the fed and state agencies that govern my profession -- the authorities that enforce "industry standards."

That way, when and if, i get looked at there will be a record of such threat. And the fed and state boards can then check the source of the complaint and i am somewhat protected. In other words it certainly wouldn't hurt me to do make a record of the threat. Furthermore the fact that this wacko lives on the other side of the country would further hurt the merit of his complaint.

Now, i don't really feel the need to press charges against said individual. Too minor. But i'm open to suggestions.

The good news is that this person is dumb enough to post this threat publicly on a forum. The bad news is that, in the past, this person was dumb enough to have hired lawyers who've threatened litigation against our fourm's owner.

If anyone wishes ask further questions of me publicly or privately, please do so.

Thanks again for all of your advice in the past, a great help.

If you want a real answer to your concern then you would need to consult an attorney.
Ignore any suggestions by any of us here for true legal council.
We all fly by the seat of our pants.

Or at least contact the supposed professional boards mentioned and ask them about complaint resolution.

That my best suggestion.

Hi Ruben,

Thanks for your response.


I did contact them. Basically they informed me that they do investigate allegations made by anonymous sources "...and the burden of proof then falls on the [professional being investigated]."

But i have been in this industry for quite a while and i know how things work. I know that there are proactive steps which i could take to protect myself. And the facts that

1) this guy was dumb enough to threaten this publicly

AND

2) these allegations from this knucklehead will originate from the other side of the country where i have NEVER conducted business

Both of these facts work in my favor.

I'll send you a PM, Ruben. If you're at all interested or curious.

thanks again

skate