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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Disturbing random text, police aren't interested.

81 replies

Shortandsweet96 · 15/04/2019 20:19

Today I recieved a text from a random mobile number it reads:

"Hi. I am looking for a young girl. Maybe you know someone or have a sister or kid"

At first I thought it was someone trying to "prank call/text" me but I thought who in their right minds would pretend to act like a peadophile as a joke. So me thinking it might be someone I know text back to say no but their mobile number and message will now go on my social media (trying to scare then into admitting who they are and tell me not to) they just said "let me know where I'll have a look" creep.. so I then got suspicious.

I sent a screenshot to my family chat and said it was weird, aakes them to check the number to see if it showed on anyones contacts, asked my friend who was here at the time to check too. But nothing came up I googled the mobile number and nothing came up.

A family member suggested 141 ans calling the number, I did this and what sounded like a grown man answered, he sounded older with an Asian accent..

I freaked out and hung up, then 141 called again and said I may have dialled the wrong person and asked who it was. They was having none of it and hung up.

So I popped into the local police station with the text and explained what had happened, that I thought it was a friend dicking around but when called a grown man answered.

Person at the window at the police station just said ignore it there nothing they can do. They didnt even take the phone number? She read the message and just told me to ignore it.

AIBU to think they should have at least taken the number down? What if this is a genuine peadophile? I feel sick to my stomach thinking someone could actually want to find a young girl and isn't shy about texting random numbers to get there.

OP posts:
boringlyboring · 15/04/2019 21:13

The reply doesn’t make sense to your text. Does your text read as though you’ll ‘check’ on SM and let him know?

I’m not sure what you can do except screenshot anymore messages.

Have you got an ex (or ex friend) that would want to wind you up?

OffToBedhampton · 15/04/2019 21:14

Just block the number (mr Number app has a blocking facility for android phones) and move on. I get random texts all the time in my work and personal mobile. Either ppp ones or where people have mistyped. It is weird but they won't have your address from your mobile so best not to engage with them at all.

gnomeisland · 15/04/2019 21:14

No it's not weird. All our small stations closed down years ago. And all the ones in larger towns no longer have front desks.
Mind you we are down in the SW where funding is criminally low.
Whereabouts are you, OP?

NC4Now · 15/04/2019 21:16

Crimestoppers is 0800 555 111.

OffToBedhampton · 15/04/2019 21:16

You can screenshot and report with number it came from online I think, but other than it was creepy, unless they send you several, it doesn't sound like they are targeting you.

Original poster
Shortandsweet96 · 15/04/2019 21:17

@gnomeisland.

Also SW, Gloucestshire.
Our station was meant to shut down used ago bug is so far still standing and as far as I'm aware they've actually revamped it so that is has a waiting area where rhe screen of two ladies sit.

OP posts:
Ariesgirl1988 · 15/04/2019 21:28

@ OP I agree its a bit creepy but I doubt it's a paedophile they're not exactly smart but they aren't stupid enough to text a random number asking for a young girl when that person could as you did go to the police. Not to scare you op but sounds to me more like some dickhead may have posted your phone number in a phone box next to some graffiti saying call this number for a good time or some crap like that and this guy is a creepy perv who likes that kinda thing. Either way I wouldn't worry yourself too much about this you did your bit and spoke to the police and they've said not to worry its in their hands if something happens not yours

brizzlemint · 15/04/2019 21:31

I'd be really disturbed by that OP, I'm shocked that the police are disinterested.

Nicknacky · 15/04/2019 21:34

For a one off text message that is as random as this, then there will be no subscriber checks etc carried out. I request subscriber checks and phone data and the hoops I go through are unbelievable and that is for serious crime and deaths.

I have to justify, justify and prove it’s proportionate. This wouldn’t be approved in my force. At best we would put it through our intel system to see if it’s known to us and log it as intelligence.

aintnothinbutagstring · 15/04/2019 21:36

You're overthinking it, what do you think the police are going to do, there's not really anything incriminating said in the text message... and as if a legit abuser is going to send random texts asking for someone's kid or sister Hmm

Fiveredbricks · 15/04/2019 21:38

OP they have just typed in a random number or a wrong number. They don't have 'your' number 🙄

Also it was probably their friend or teenage kid or something fucking about with their phone. Like a previous poster said, paedos are probably not that blatent.

If you're really concerned - log it with 111 and get a new simcard.

slashlover · 15/04/2019 21:41

The senders number could also be spoofed. There was a thread here a while ago where someone had it done to them and they had dozens or texts and calls from random people who had a missed call which seemed to come from their number.

Original poster
Shortandsweet96 · 15/04/2019 21:44

Fair shout @nicknacky

I know I'm over thinking it, but noone would be overly impressed to recieve random weird texts. I only give my numbe to close friends and family, so unless it is just someone mis-typed a number or was pressing random numbers then dowsnt seem likely my number would have been given out.

More than likely the weird old Asian man was bored. Maybe hes recently retired and struggling to make do with his new found time. Blush

OP posts:
Nicknacky · 15/04/2019 21:47

Now you are really over thinking it!

Hecateh · 15/04/2019 21:49

found this, hopefully they will at least take it seriously

Contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or by emailing [email protected]. Our trained professionals will talk through your concerns with you and give you expert advice.

pastyballbag · 15/04/2019 21:50

Oh well if he’s Asian... 🙄

Original poster
Shortandsweet96 · 15/04/2019 21:52

@nicknacky

I'm a thinker Grin

Will I just be wasting everyone's time to report to another service? Feeling abit silly now even though best interest at heart.

Maybe I'll just see I'd rehy contact me again. If it's just someone being a nob I'm sure it wont be long before they send me something else for attention.

OP posts:
plattercake · 15/04/2019 21:53

That would freak me out too Flowers It would be easy for a man to get a number from someone but type it in wrongly and get you by mistake. Ugh. I can easily imagine it is a paedo or someone looking for a prostitute Angry

In an ideal world the police would check to see if the number is registered to anyone and do a background check but that only happens in a parallel universe :(

Horrible to think that it might be sinister but there's nothing anyone can (or will) do. But its going on around us all the time, we just don't usually come so close to it. So awful :(

Nicknacky · 15/04/2019 21:53

It’s entirely up to you who you report it to.

Why don’t you just block it?

Original poster
Shortandsweet96 · 15/04/2019 21:54

@pastyballbag

He had an Asian accent I'm not just giving the stranger a random race Blush

OP posts:
Nicknacky · 15/04/2019 21:55

What happened there?!

plattercake · 15/04/2019 21:57

Re what to do; I think I would do what my wise mind and conscience told me to do, and then what anyone else does or doesn't do is up to them. At least I would have tried my best. Sometimes that's all the comfort there is.

plattercake · 15/04/2019 21:57

???

Original poster
Shortandsweet96 · 15/04/2019 22:00

@nicknacky

I can block it, but surely if they text again I can report it..

Question time, since your a police man/woman/person?

If they do text me again dicking around can I report it to anyone for being harassing? Or will I be told to just block it? I hate the thought that some utter twat can sit and get away with being a dick.

OP posts:
Original poster
Shortandsweet96 · 15/04/2019 22:00

Why did my comment get hidden?

OP posts:
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