Poster repeatedly sending private messages with phone number

[Struggling101]

I’m a bit suspicious about this. I’ve twice had a near identical message from someone claiming to be alone with a toddler and to call them. Advanced search and they’ve only posted twice, and sorry to dredge up old wounds here so to speak but once is in the sex topic.

not sure how to report PMs.

Hi there,
We'll have a look at this right now and get back to you via email, if that's okay?

It would be but unsure what my email is on here … let me change it 😂

Arghh next question - how can I change my email when I’m locked out of the email address I used to register with? Do I need to create a new account?

I've had a message from someone too in response to a thread I posted giving me their number and telling me to message them as it's easier. Seemed abit dodgy to me

Can you block them ? And report.

The thing is @AnneKipankitoo i could, but I’m a bit uneasy generally as I think it’s probably not a woman at home with a three year old at all but a man targeting women with toddlers which is obviously really dodgy.

So this is from today:

“Morning hun, know that feeling well I’ve got a 7 mth old and one that’s 3 xx here anytime for a chat don’t be alone (name) xx WhatsApp may be easier don’t get notifications here”

Then the phone no.

This from the 3rd March, when I was using a different name:

”Hun I’m the same a 3 year old and a newborn here anytime for a chat xx (name) xx WhatsApp too”

then the phone no.

so something not quite right there.

@Struggling101 You can select "Report Post" next to their PM and then select "Other" and put in your concerns to MN and then block them (top of the page to the right).

Thanks. I do think it’s as well to make it public though.

Oh it's definitely something we'd rather know about, 100%, so we can see if they're doing it to others, or if there's any sort of pattern. We're looking into it now. You should be able to report PMs?

Thanks, I’ll try.

Sorry to keep bombarding you Hope but what should I do re my email?

Quite possibly and it doesn't hurt.

As for the PM, whoever they are, they could have put on Notifications, so that bit is garbage and asking you to move across to WhatsApp gives them your name and phone number and far easier access to you. You were right to suspect it as it stinks.

In Settings there is an option to "Change email address". Select that and follow the guidance.

Oh, just took in your message about the email... that's a pain. If the suggestion above doesn't work just email in and identify yourself and we'll see if there's anything we can do. (Though GDPR-wise there may not be and we do require MNers to hold an email that we can contact them on.)

I know @NomadicSpirit and I realise you’re trying to be helpful but I can’t get in my old email account and you need to in order to confirm this change.

Is it worth making a new account then @HopeMumsnet if I delete this one first?

Dont want to be banned for socking!

Might be, but then we still have the issue that we don't know who we're talking to, iyswim, so shouldn't update re your PMs? Buzz in and we'll do what we can. At least you can be reassured that we're looking into the PMs, and you've flagged them to Site Stuff so we can ask that if anyone else gets such messages they report them. Meet ups and RL friendships used to be such a nice part of MN, but we do need to be canny...

Thanks - yeah, I wouldn’t mind if I sensed that it was genuine but I really do think it’s someone very disturbed.

What email address should I email MN on @HopeMumsnet ?

If you hit 'report' on this thread that'll come into our inbox and we'll also know immediately what you're talking about, so would you do that please?

Done

Cool. And we've answered, just on the mad off-chance that you'll get the email somehow. Worth a try and if not we'll take it from there.

OP could you identify yourself with a code word to mnhq when you report this thread, and then use same code word when you make a new account and contact them from that? So they know you're the same person, and you have an account linked to a functioning email?

That could work?

Hi OP

It may be a case of needing to reregister under an email address that you have access to - we're sorry about that. Unless you can gain access to the original email! So it could be worth contacting the email host.