A word to the wise...

[Abhoth]

So, this past week Thursday I'm listening to the news ... on comes this involved and well reported story of a cyber stalker. Was quite nasty the whole thing, terrorizing some family and kids etc. etc.. Really evil..... Then they mention a name, a name I know, both the wife and I perk up! And then his face is there on the screen in court... oh my GOD!!! We know him!!!!

Understand now, this is a friend and co-worker, my wife has worked with him for 10+ years and I've known him for the last 5+... the computer they seized and showed on the news report ... I built it for him for Christ's sake. Need I say that it has been a surreal experience over the course of the past few days.

Fast-Forward to this evenings news ... Sunday evening. Top story, big story... news on the cyber stalker...! The wife and I think oh crap, what now....... it's a good news bad news thing! Our friend has been cleared... all the emails and myspace crap were not from him. They were from some 13 year old in the victims household...!!!

It seems they backtracked the IP to Comcast and it led to our friend..... Comcast sets IP addresses dynamically though. Thus, they change fairly often... was our friends IP at one time, but not now.!.! WHAT! Like F&(_&%$ WHAT!!!

And now he's been defamed in the news ... picture plastered all over the screen ... name said in connection to some very nasty things ... oops! He's a salesman and now he's toast. Innocent or not.... Innocent it is, yet toast... he's just been ruined and someone will pay.

I just want to know who the idiot tech was that played cyber-forensics master and fried a good man's career and name. I have some electrified probes I'd like to introduce him to..! ;-)

A word to the wise for all lest they be victimized by our technology... but when it comes right down to it there's nothing you can do about it is there?

[wonderinguy34]

If you hadn't seen the update ,you'd probably still be thinking the worst,I imagine a lot of people didn't see the update.So much for being "innocent until proven guilty".

[Abhoth]

Yeah, it's an odd thing all that... being close friends of his it was "No way, he couldn't do that" right from the git-go. But my wife and I did talk and we don't always know the people we know... you know?

Yes, difficult to stand up to that innocent until thing!

[usil]

If he sues, he may not have to work another day in his life.
How frustrating though, that an ISP could make such an amateurish mistake.

[lgbpop]

How frustrating though, that an ISP could make such an amateurish mistake.

Look at their programming, their service, etc.; it's all amateurish mistakes.

[Abhoth]

As I understand it the police called him at 12:30 a.m., told him he needed to come outside. So he got his robe on and stepped out onto the porch. They spotlighted him from down the block and had him come out to the driveway. Surrounded by 8 or 9 cops with guns drawn.... took him away before his wife even woke up!

Yeah, he'll sue and he'll win .... the news group that covered the story will be involved in that suit also. They were really running him up the flagpole.... real aggressive in their reporting. Turns out the reporter involved knew the victim in this whole thing so was obviously biased.
And no, don't think he'll need to work again... I mentioned Comcast in my original post and must apologize! ;-) Wasn't Comcast ... he's on DSL so it's Qwest which makes more sense around here. Qwest in my area are fools... and that's not to say that Comcast is a great deal better mind you! ;-)

It's all just stupid and sad and could happen to any one of us... that's the frightening part! Not very likely but still possible...

[Crimson Blonde]

geez what a story .... I hope the wonderful news people made were just as aggressive with an apology

[usil]

The only thing that goes through my mind when thinking about this story is...

"Dynamice IP address, Dynamic IP address, Dynamic IP address... DUH! Why didn't we think of that!"

[Abhoth]

You and me both Usil ... it's just a no brainer and I have lost quite a bit of faith in my local police here! And/or the techs they employ.... and Qwest of course is just a bunch of idiots counting someone else's money as I don't use them!

And yes, CB.... they were very aggressive with the apology, in a "news" sort of way... they've been running the story of the 13 year old who was the real culprit quite a bit. While mentioning the poor man who was wrongly accused etc. etc. etc.. Trying to get the word out that he's not the bad guy here...! But, damage has been done ... I mean for me as a friend, when I saw the story that he was not "it"... that let's me off the hook. But him, being the one who's lived through it and had his name mentioned in various reports aired. Well, don't think he's off the hook... just a cryin' shame.

[greengoose1]

I hope your friend relieves them of a large part of their pocketbooks. They were trying to fill them by falsely accusing him and not checking things out for errors. From the way they are reacting tells me they be very worried. I hope your friend stops and thinks this through makes a plan and then works his plan.