Prank caller

[bhskittykatt]

We are having a chronic issue with a prank caller. We can't have our auto-attendant on because he'll call the rooms. He would call and tell guests there was a rapist outside their door and to scare them off by pounding and screaming on the door. He told another guest we had to clean our phone lines and she needed to submerge her phone in water. (Thankfully, she did not, and called us instead.)

Since we've now turned our auto-attend off, he's gotten angry and has taken to harassing the staff. Yesterday, he asked me how often I shave my intimate areas (though he used a more vulgar term). He told a CW that her car was on fire in the parking lot (she doesn't have a car). He threatened to come down and beat up and rob another CW (who laughed it off and didn't report it until a few days after the fact...yeah, I yelled at her about not calling the police or reporting it to anyone in that case). I've already informed Corporate, since it's becoming pretty relentless the past few days. Hopefully they can help us work out a resolution.

Here is the conversation I had with him tonight. It's not as bad as past conversations, in fact it is quite mild, but it's fresh in my memory. Right when I answered the phone and heard his voice, I could tell who it was:

PC: Can I have room 204?
Me: Do you have the name of the registered guest?
PC: Smith. Thank you.
Me: I'm sorry, we don't have a 'Smith' registered to that room.
PC: Then he's using an alias. Do you know what an alias is, or are you too stupid?
Me: I am aware of the term. I have no Smith's registered here. I can't transfer you without the name on the registry.
PC: Then I'm reporting you to management.
Me: Well, I am one of the managers here.
PC: Then I'm reporting you to your Corporate.
Me: You may do that, but they are the ones who gave us the policy and will undoubtedly back me up.
PC: Then I'm reporting you to God! You hear me? YOU WILL BE REPORTED TO GOD!
Me: Okay then. I'm sure by now He already knows, but you can still have fun with that.
PC: You stupid bi--
Me: *click*

[barainga]

Isnt there a way for the phone company to just block this number? At the very least this is harassment and the police should be able to act.

[bhskittykatt]

Isnt there a way for the phone company to just block this number? At the very least this is harassment and the police should be able to act.

We do not have caller ID, so we wouldn't know which number to block, though I'm sure the phone company could figure it out. If it gets worse, we will have to involve police. (If he'd threatened me with robbery instead of CW, you can bet the police would've been called then!) I'm going through Corporate first, since they may have a solution they'd want to implement. (Like giving us caller ID? Please? Anyone? No?)

[It's me]

We do not have caller ID, so we wouldn't know which number to block

You could try Call Return (*69).

Not sure if it works on a multi-line setup though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Last-call_return

[Mytical]

Too bad there is no way to transfer the person to here. I've been told I can scare just about anybody with my voice. Document everything, develop a pattern of 'abuse' and get his hinny for stalking. Comes with a neat little piece of paper that says if they come within x feet, call, write, email, text, etc they get a nice little orange outfit and a free 10x10 room!

[blas]

Who the hell has time to prank call a hotel?

[Racket_Man]

Who the hell has time to prank call a hotel?

the same people who have time to prank call a pizza place

such as this one
http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...ad.php?t=69447


or this gem
http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...ad.php?t=68286

or the one (can not find the thread I started) where an 8 year old just started talking getto ebonics and using the N-word

[dbuzman]

Check with the phone company. You may need to have a police report. The phone company can set it up so when you get a harassing call you do a special star code which logs the call and number it's from.

[Mr Hero]

I had this happen at my hotel, but it's been a few months. At first I was stupid enough to connect the caller to the room without confirming a name. According to the guests he's woken up, the caller told them that he was calling from the front desk and someone's trying to break into their car.

I've sinced wised up and I'm a total brick wall when it comes to these callers who obviously cannot get laid with their small dick, so they harrass hotels instead.

[Andara Bledin]

What dbuzman said. You can file a harrassment report with the phone company and they can determine what number it's coming from and block it.

Actually, since he's issued threats, mentioned arson, and been on the premises (you mentioned he pounded on guests doors), I'd very, very strongly urge you to make sure police reports have been filed with as many incidents as you can remember. In fact, keep a log.

Right now, he's just being annoying. Hopefully he'll stay at just annoying. But be prepared to protect yourselves should he decide to kick it up a notch.

^-.-^

[bhskittykatt]

Just to clarify, he has not been on the premises as far as we know. He was telling the guests to pound on the door to scare off the imaginary rapist.

If he threatens me personally, you can bet police will be called. I still haven't heard back from Corporate, or know if they've contacted the phone company themselves. For now, I'm just waiting to see how it plays out with them, and I've told all my staff to report any threats to the police and not shrug them off.

No prank calls yesterday, though we had numerous hang-up calls. Almost a dozen in a row.

[telecom_goddess]

Definitely get police reports, do a *57 after everyone of his calls, and open a trouble ticket with the phone company ...they will be able to trace it in the switch. And consider adding selective call rejection, once you have the number he's calling from, and have that added to the list of numbers to be rejected.