My daughter was sent 700 pornographic pictures on WhatsApp

[Anon778833]

My dd is 12 and has autism. She has a phone which I periodically check. But since she only has 2 friends, the messages on there are only ever from those girls.

Last night, I heard her phone buzz and noticed these messages from an unknown contact. Luckily I intercepted them before she picked her phone up - they were 700 odd pornographic photos with another message which said 'I'm in your walls'

I have reported this to the police but they say they would only press charges if an adult had sent them even though it is a crime. My experience of the police is that they like to dump stuff onto school to deal with.

One of her friends must have given out her number.

Has this happened to anyone else? I have ordered her a new SIM card. And am looking at ways to avoid this happening again.

Back to the police to check whose phone they're being sent from. This is NOT an acceptable response from the police, they can and should check if the phone is on contract to get in tough with the account holder, not sure what they can do if its payg, but somebody is committing a very serious crime against a vulnerable minor, and they absolutely need to take action!

What's app is a pegi 16 for this reason because people can send unsolicited messages. It doesn't mean anyone has given her number out, they are just sent to random phones.

couldhave you are living in an alternative universe, whilst that is what the police should be able to do, they are too stretched, which ultimately is because we keep voting against funding them correctly.

What?

You assume that's what happened
Check with the girls if they have received any. Or know anything. Do you know their parents. Given the number to who? Someone who would do that? Then they're at risk too.
Who knows what is going on but that sounds really worrying.

Police won't do anything I mean that's pointless in my personal opinion.

You need to protect your daughter. Two girls same are are they ok. Is this random how has it happened.

Could reply to whoever sent pretend to be young. Draw them out.
What is their profile.
Can't you select only allow messages from those in your contact list why didn't you do that?!

I've had random spam messages via WhatsApp before. Thankfully nothing abhorrent, but I wouldn't assume one of her friends was responsible.

I seem to remember a only get added by contacts thing but can't find it now

She's 12. Don't let her have WhatsApp.

It seems unlikely a 12 year old girl knows anyone with 700 porn photos to send out to people. That and the “I’m in your walls” or whatever it was, sounds like some late teen boys/young men sending shit to random numbers “for a laugh”. The Whatsapp equivalent of a prank call.

Call the police back and say you think it must be an adult man as it’s none of her friends, if that’s the only way you think they’ll investigate.

The police are going to try to see if they can find out who the phones belong to because they come from 3 separate numbers.

I have just found out that one of the other two girls was also sent these photo messages. The third girl in their group apparently was not. Her mum only found out because I warned her what had happened to my dd's phone so she checked.

I have discovered that you can block texts on WhatsApp from any number that you don't know.

The reason I don't think it's spam is that on one of the numbers they had said my daughters name.

I don't think it's an adult man. I think it's likely to be a kid at school.

Some of the photos are duplicates of the same thing. They are from a porn site. I don't appreciate people suggesting I'm making this up.

As for the comment about don't let her have WhatsApp. She needs a phone for her own safety. And if someone gets hold of her number they could still phone her even if she didn't have WhatsApp. So don't suggest that WhatsApp is some sort of X rated app because it isn't.

@Changechangychange sorry I completely misunderstood your posts. Ignore me 🙈

Did you try googling the number?

The girls won't of given her number out. I get send spam and all sorts sometimes on WhatsApp and I don't give my number out to strangers.

So don't suggest that WhatsApp is some sort of X rated app because it isn't.

Yes, but the problem with WhatsApp is that, like has happened to your DD, you can get all sorts of unsolicited stuff sent to you, pictures of anything can be sent to (or from) your phone. Basically if you don't have decent privacy settings it essentially absolutely is a potentially 'x rated app'.

It's not like text messaging, where pictures often cost money to send.

@Passmeamenuatthetottenham

So don't suggest that WhatsApp is some sort of X rated app because it isn't.

Yes, but the problem with WhatsApp is that, like has happened to your DD, you can get all sorts of unsolicited stuff sent to you, pictures of anything can be sent to (or from) your phone. Basically if you don't have decent privacy settings it essentially absolutely is a potentially 'x rated app'.

It's not like text messaging, where pictures often cost money to send.

I do see your point but in most countries the age limit is 13 for WhatsApp and it only got raised to 16 in EU countries. We aren't in the EU any more...

In any case I'm going to change all her settings so that she can't get sent anything from anyone who is not in her contacts.

As I said, this wasn't a spam situation because the person knew her name. Which is why I thought her number may have been given out.

I know I sound horrible but
I have discovered that you can block texts on WhatsApp from any number that you don't know.

why are you finding this out NOW after you've been letting her use it for some time already?
If you (general you) don't know the risks, and how to mitigate them, of an app, don't install it.
Anyway, hope you're ok op, and your dd.

@LanaDelBoy

I know I sound horrible but I have discovered that you can block texts on WhatsApp from any number that you don't know.

why are you finding this out NOW after you've been letting her use it for some time already?
If you (general you) don't know the risks, and how to mitigate them, of an app, don't install it.
Anyway, hope you're ok op, and your dd.

You live and learn. I have WhatsApp myself. I thought it was like texting but free.

But it is a 16 rated app, higher than insta, and it is 16 for a reason. If you tell school they will say she shouldn't have what's app because of these reasons. Yes they can sms and call but its more difficult than sending via whats app.

@Crockof

But it is a 16 rated app, higher than insta, and it is 16 for a reason. If you tell school they will say she shouldn't have what's app because of these reasons. Yes they can sms and call but its more difficult than sending via whats app.

No they really won't say that. Most of the children at the school have WhatsApp. Some of you people are so sanctimonious.

Mumsnet has now become a place where people pick apart every OP and look for reasons why other people's crimes (because that's what this is) are the OP's fault.

The police sent someone here today. He didn't once say that this is my fault because my daughter shouldn't be on WhatsApp. He said that the person has committed a crime but that they would only press charges if it was an adult.

The policeman also said that it's very rare for pictures like this to be sent via WhatsApp.

He said that the majority of police investigations are Snapchat related.

700 pics is really OTT and would take time.

One of the other girls has been targeted too.

So someone has both their numbers. I think it highly unlikely that any of these 3 girls are dishing out their friends phone numbers.

What does the other mum say. Have you told the police it's 2 girls targeted.

What about the other girls mum or dad contacting that girls contacts of which there won't be many and saying I need to talk to your parents. If they don't already know the parents.

Are they at school together? Tell the school.

The important thing here is to make sure that any other children who might be targeted are aware/ their parents are aware etc.

I am v surprised the police are doing anything but very pleased.

You need to act fast and now to make sure IF it's someone in their school group etc any other children who might be targeted / their families etc as best as possible are forewarned.

700 photos is a big effort. Would have cost a lot of data to send. And receive? She's on house wi-fi I suppose?

And the scary comment. And knowing her name.

It's not random then it's someone she knows. Another girl in her group so someone who knows then both. Look like school or a shared activity.

Are they at school together?

You can't just change her settings and have told the police and leave it there.

@Crockof

What's app is a pegi 16 for this reason because people can send unsolicited messages. It doesn't mean anyone has given her number out, they are just sent to random phones.

couldhave you are living in an alternative universe, whilst that is what the police should be able to do, they are too stretched, which ultimately is because we keep voting against funding them correctly.

@crockof I've been sat in an interview room myself, with my dc who had himself been sent threatening and malicious messages (part of a bigger assault incident) - the police man was able to find out the name and address of the account holder (the dad of the little scrote that had sent the messages) and spoke to him directly as we were sat in the room. I absolutely believe that if someone is sending pornographic images to a minor that the police can and should be making more of an effort to get to the bottom of who is sending them. I'd be raising merry hell if they weren't doing at least this enquiry!