Jailed for Bomb Hoax Against Online Girlfriend

(U.K.) A man who told police his online girlfriend was going to blow up a plane after she deleted him from her Facebook account has been jailed for 16 weeks.

Stuart Bingham, 38, drank up to four litres of cider before calling 999 and reporting that a woman was boarding a plane with a bomb in the United States. Police investigated but confirmed the report was a hoax and arrested Bingham at his home in Bransholme, Hull.

He admitted sending a grossly offensive, indecent or menacing message by electronic communication at a court hearing at Hull magistrates court in May.

District judge Frederick Rutherford said: "You decided, under the influence of alcohol, to make an emergency call to the police to tell them of a bomb threat, with specific details in respect of the flight path and what was going to happen to the plane." He added: "I will not ignore what has occurred. As a consequence of what you did, special branch became involved, contact was made with the authorities in the other countries. Because of their quick response at least not a great deal, or any, disruption was caused."

Prosecutor James Gelsthorpe said Bingham made an emergency call to Humberside police and told them a woman was getting on a plane from Detroit to Miami Fort Lauderdale with "something on her she should not get on the plane with". Gelsthorpe said: "He said it was a 'f***ing bomb'. He said, 'She's going to blow the plane up'."

The report was investigated by Humberside police's special branch, which is responsible for counter-terrorism, and calls were also made to the relevant authorities in the United States.

Bingham told police he spoke to the woman, named as Lawrie Punt, from Ontario, Canada, every day through the online call system Skype and also communicated with her via Facebook and text messages. He said they had been in a virtual relationship since May 2011 but had never met.

Bingham admitted making a call to the police but thought he had dialled the non-emergency number and said he could not remember using the word "bomb". Bingham, who is unemployed and suffers from anxiety and depression, received a caution last year for wasting police time after making around 30 nuisance 999 calls.

original article found here

Cyberstalking on the Increase

The lucky ones need only change their e-mail address or return goods they did not order. At worst, however, cyberstalking victims end up with a ruined reputation or a plundered bank account.

Cyberstalking takes many forms. And the abuse of personal data on the internet to play tricks on people or exert pressure on them is growing, experts say. Cultivation of one's web image and more careful use of personal data can help prevent trouble, however.

A general term used by lawyers and law enforcement authorities for internet offences, cyberstalking is "an artificial concept" that still lacks a precise definition, explained Berlin lawyer Ulrich Schulte am Huelse. Basically, it covers the various ways people are harassed and stalked via the internet.

The risk of victimization rises with the frequency of internet use, experts say.

German police have no statistics on cyberstalking. "It's probably on the increase. We don't keep a record of offences under this heading," said Frank Scheulen, spokesman for North Rhine-Westphalia's State Office of Criminal Investigation, in Dusseldorf.

"As the new media grow and spread, it stands to reason that cyberstalking is growing as well," remarked Professor Harald Dressing, a member of the Mannheim-based Central Institute of Mental Health.

The consequences include personal affronts along with practical problems. "Using other people's names, cyberstalkers buy and sell goods in online and mail-order transactions. They publish harassing homepages and blogs, and commit punishable offenses," Scheulen noted.

He said that sending unwanted e-mails was also common, as was the unauthorized publication or manipulation of photographs or purported statements with suggestive content by the victim.

Most cases of cyberstalking are due to the careless use of personal data on the internet. Victims should notify the police as soon as it occurs, Scheulen said.

"Then the police can trace the perpetrator through the internet service provider and IP address," he added.

If the police have been notified, a warning, cease-and-desist order and damages claim have a good chance of success, noted Schulte am Huelse, who recommended that victims document cyberstalking from the beginning in preparation for legal action.

Careful use of the internet and personal data helps prevent cyberstalking. "Don't reveal personal information such as hobbies or preferences," Scheulen advised. Most importantly, telephone numbers, addresses and names should not be published in chat rooms, he said, because "you don't know who's lurking in the web and to what use the data will be put."

Dressing said that users of social and business networking websites should only allow friends and acquaintances to access their personal profile. After all, he pointed out, no one runs around the centre of town wearing a sign showing their personal data.

ORIGINAL

Match.com Sued Again

Yet more reasons to STAY OFF THE ONLINE DATING SITES! - Fighter

A world-wide dating website Match.com, is being sued by a New York area man for deceptive marketing practices. New York general litigation attorneys representing the plaintiff accused Match of misleading customers with dating prospects who are not actually, paid members of the Internet dating service.

The Brooklyn, NY man claims he was humiliated and disappointed due to unresponsive profiles on Match.com.

The plaintiff, Sean McGinn of Brooklyn, filed the lawsuit against the dating giant, Match.com, on Tuesday. According to New York Federal Court reports, McGinn claims members of the dating Internet website suffer rejection when attempts are made to contact a prospective date and the inquiry remains unanswered. This lack of response leaves members with the sense of humiliation and disappointment.

The lawsuit cites Match.com profiles do not clearly state whether or not the prospective single has a current paying subscription, which is inflicting anxiety, fear of rejection, and further defrauds the consumer of their time and emotional investment. McGinn alleges Match.com’s business practices are deceptive and his suit requests unspecified damages.

Match.com, owned by IAC/InterActiveCorp, which has a membership following of more than 100 million people since 2000, states the lawsuit lacks merit. Attorneys representing the social media giant assert they will defend the allegations vigorously. According to the dating service, profiles can be made without any charge to the person. Through this profile, prospective members can search the databases for singles and prospective dates, but will be unable to contact anyone or respond to any messages without paying a fee to join the service.

It is clearly stated on the website that looking around, and creating a profile is free to everyone, but you have to hold a paying membership to email, wink, and “enjoy all that Match.com has to offer”.

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