What to do if someone is calling and harassing you?
Asked by: Prof. Afton Miller MD | Last update: March 25, 2026Score: 4.7/5 (43 votes)
To handle harassing calls, don't engage, block numbers, use carrier/phone apps to filter, register on the National Do Not Call Registry (donotcall.gov) for telemarketers, and report serious threats to police, documenting everything (time, number, details) for law enforcement to build a case, utilizing call tracing services if needed.
What is considered harassment phone calls?
Phone harassment involves repeated, unwanted calls or messages intended to disturb, alarm, abuse, or threaten someone, including obscene language, threats of harm, making calls at inconvenient times, or simply calling repeatedly without speaking (hang-ups) with malicious intent. Key factors are the intent to harass and the repeated nature of the communication, covering texts, emails, and social media messages too.
Can the police do anything about harassing phone calls?
Police can investigate harassing phone calls as criminal harassment, stalking, or domestic violence, gathering evidence like call logs and messages to build a case for charges, which can range from misdemeanors to felonies depending on intent and state law, often requiring documented proof of repeated, threatening, or obscene calls to move forward.
Can I sue for harassing phone calls?
The TCPA also lets consumers take legal action against telemarketers who don't honor the national do-not-call list and collect $500 per call, for every phone call beyond the first one. Why am I getting so many harassing calls? Unwanted calls or texts? You may be entitled to up to $1,500 per call or text.
How to report harassing phone calls?
If your number has been registered on the National Do Not Call Registry for at least 30 days and you receive an unlawful telemarketing call, you may file a complaint at https://www.donotcall.gov or by calling the registry's toll-free number at (888) 382-1222 (TTY 1-866-290-4236).
What counts as harassment and stalking? [Criminal law explainer]
Can I call the police if someone keeps calling me?
If you are receiving annoying or harassing telephone calls, call the police department. Making such calls is against the law. An officer will speak with you and provide you with an "incident number" that your carrier will need.
What happens when you report a phone number?
The FTC also takes the phone numbers you report and releases them to the public each business day. This helps phone carriers and other partners that are working on call-blocking and call-labeling solutions.
Can you press charges on someone for calling you names?
If name-calling is severe enough to meet the standards and be called Slander or Libel, although rare, a legal cause of action to collect damages may be initiated.
What proof do you need to sue for harassment?
To sue for harassment, you need credible evidence proving severe or pervasive offensive conduct created a hostile environment, including detailed logs (dates, times, incidents), digital communications (texts, emails), witness statements, and potentially photos, recordings, or medical records, all showing a pattern that affected your ability to work or live, supported by documentation of your complaints to management or HR.
Can police trace a reported phone number?
For instance, in emergencies—like cases involving immediate threats to life or public safety—police may be able to track a phone number without a warrant. They can also track without a warrant if there's fear that a serious crime is about to be committed or evidence is to be destroyed.
How many times can someone call you before it's harassment?
A debt collector calling you more than seven times in a week could be considered harassment under the FDCPA. The FDCPA does not apply to creditors collecting for themselves. It only applies to third-parties attempting to collect the debts of another person or entity.
What does *77 do on your phone?
Dialing *77 activates Anonymous Call Rejection on landlines and some mobile carriers, blocking calls where the caller hides their number (private/anonymous), sending them a message to hang up instead of ringing your phone; however, it doesn't block "Unknown" or "Out of Area" calls, and in some areas like Massachusetts, it can accidentally connect to the 911 center, so it's best used with caution, especially on cell phones. To use, pick up the phone and dial *77, listen for confirmation, and hang up; dial *87 to deactivate.
What are three actions that are considered harassment?
The three primary types of harassment often categorized are Verbal/Written, Physical, and Visual, which create hostile environments through offensive language, unwanted touching/assault, or inappropriate images/gestures, respectively, though harassment also includes discriminatory and sexual forms that overlap these categories. These behaviors, whether explicit or subtle, target individuals based on protected characteristics like race, gender, or religion, making a workplace intimidating, hostile, or offensive.
What to do if someone won't stop calling you?
Depending on what method of communication is being used, often you can easily block the person's phone number if the communication is originating from the phone. Most phone carriers allow you to do this online or you can stop by a local store for assistance.
What are the three types of harassment?
The three primary types of harassment often categorized are Verbal/Written, Physical, and Visual, which create hostile environments through offensive language, unwanted touching/assault, or inappropriate images/gestures, respectively, though harassment also includes discriminatory and sexual forms that overlap these categories. These behaviors, whether explicit or subtle, target individuals based on protected characteristics like race, gender, or religion, making a workplace intimidating, hostile, or offensive.
How many times does someone need to contact you for it to be harassment?
If someone approaches you or rings/texts you on two or more occasions then they may commit an offence of harassment. The behaviour must form a course of conduct, this means related behaviour on two or more occasions. The further apart the incidents are, the less likely there is to be an offence of harassment.
How difficult is it to prove harassment?
It is not always possible to provide extensive proof of your harassment. A careful harasser may avoid putting anything in writing, or behaving badly in front of others. Your fellow workers may refuse to stand up for you and testify against a boss or coworker.
What are the 9 grounds of harassment?
Harassment that is based on the following grounds— marital status, family status, sexual orientation, religion, age disability, race, or Traveller community ground— is a form of discrimination in relation to conditions of employment. What is sexual harassment? S23 EE Act.
Do you need evidence to report harassment?
We understand it can be difficult to tell us about what's happened, but we want to hear from you. We take these offences very seriously. Before you report, you don't need to gather 'evidence' about what's been happening, like text messages, videos or photos.
Can police do anything about harassing phone calls?
Police can investigate harassing phone calls as criminal harassment, stalking, or domestic violence, gathering evidence like call logs and messages to build a case for charges, which can range from misdemeanors to felonies depending on intent and state law, often requiring documented proof of repeated, threatening, or obscene calls to move forward.
What proof do you need to press charges?
Police need probable cause to charge someone, meaning enough facts for a reasonable person to believe a crime occurred and the suspect committed it, using evidence like witness statements, officer observations, physical evidence (DNA, weapons), digital records (texts, video), or suspect admissions, though the standard for charging is lower than proving guilt at trial.
Can you report someone for calling you names?
You can report harassment to the police. They can charge someone with criminal harassment if: the person has harassed you more than once.
Does 7726 actually work?
Yes, forwarding spam texts to 7726 (which spells SPAM) works to report them to your mobile carrier for investigation and blocking, helping to protect yourself and others, and it's generally free and doesn't count against your plan on major networks like AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile. You simply forward the suspicious message to 7726 and then follow prompts, often sending back the original sender's number.
Is it better to delete or report spam?
It's significantly better to report spam (using your email provider's "Mark as Spam" or "Report Phishing" button) than just deleting it because reporting trains filters to block future spam for everyone, while deleting alone removes it from your inbox but doesn't help protect others from the same threat. Reporting provides crucial data to email providers, strengthening defenses against malicious links, phishing, and unwanted messages.
How many times can a telemarketer call before it's harassment?
There's no single magic number, but telemarketing harassment becomes illegal when calls are repeated after you ask them to stop (violating the FTC's Do Not Call rules) or if they're excessive (e.g., multiple times a day) with intent to annoy, often triggering penalties under the TCPA, with two calls in 12 months potentially actionable on DNC-listed landlines, while cell calls have stricter rules. Key indicators are calls after you say "stop," robocalls without consent, or calls outside 8 a.m.-9 p.m.