"It was just a joke! Can't you take a joke?"

[Iforgetmypassword]

Excellent. Thanks for the follow-up. Too bad it wasn't you instead of a coworker reporting him though.

Lol, the other co-worker just got to our supervisor first.

 

[Lynne M]

I'm glad it got reported, no matter who did the reporting. It's unprofessional, immature, and worse, it's cruel. Really cruel. He knew how frightened you were, and he proceeded to make you even more frightened. And enjoyed it.

Some people's sense of humor baffles me. How on earth was that funny?

 

[dakcp2001]

I think he sounds young and stupid. He doesn't realize how bad this scared you. I'd give him a good lecture and talking to and tell him how bad this was and how not funny it was. I don't think id report it to the police or hr if we had a good relationship before. When you say he is 20 years younger than you this indicates to me he is young, immature, and has a lot to learn.

 

[gwynne]

I think he sounds young and stupid. He doesn't realize how bad this scared you. I'd give him a good lecture and talking to and tell him how bad this was and how not funny it was. I don't think id report it to the police or hr if we had a good relationship before. When you say he is 20 years younger than you this indicates to me he is young, immature, and has a lot to learn.

See post #39 for the latest update.....

 

[HM]

Lol, the other co-worker just got to our supervisor first.

Aha! Other coworker was an earlybird....

 

[horseshowmom]

Well, another co-worker told our supervisor about it this morning. I discussed it with her, she read all the texts.

She-I understand-reamed him out, in private, after promising me she would. I wrote up a statement, without going into much detail, explaining how the texts described my place of employment, my hair color, that I became afraid and how I eventually realized it was him.

I think she may suspend him for a few days. And there is a report on file, in case he ever does anything like this again, to show and use against him.

He's getting just what he deserves, and he's lucky he isn't being fired.

I'm glad it got reported, no matter who did the reporting. It's unprofessional, immature, and worse, it's cruel. Really cruel. He knew how frightened you were, and he proceeded to make you even more frightened. And enjoyed it.

Some people's sense of humor baffles me. How on earth was that funny?

Agree with every word of this. ^

 

[Tozzie]

You need yo make a police report today, that wasnt funny nor was it a joke. He wuldnt have been routing the call through India if it was. He is demented
and you need to start a paper trail because if this escalates you need the paper trail. You can make a police report and not press charges but I really think you should

 

[ols386]

It at least needed to be reported to your supervisor (which it was), and probably even HR, IMO.

 

[goofyintoronto]

Well, another co-worker told our supervisor about it this morning. I discussed it with her, she read all the texts.

She-I understand-reamed him out, in private, after promising me she would. I wrote up a statement, without going into much detail, explaining how the texts described my place of employment, my hair color, that I became afraid and how I eventually realized it was him.

I think she may suspend him for a few days. And there is a report on file, in case he ever does anything like this again, to show and use against him.

Clap! Clap! Clap! So happy at the outcome! He's getting exactly what he deserves. Sorry but thats beyond twisted to me. He took it way too far.

OP you did the right thing.

 

[goofyintoronto]

I'm glad it got reported, no matter who did the reporting. It's unprofessional, immature, and worse, it's cruel. Really cruel. He knew how frightened you were, and he proceeded to make you even more frightened. And enjoyed it.

Some people's sense of humor baffles me. How on earth was that funny?

I was thinking the same thing!! Im normally not into getting people in trouble. But im sorry, in this case he deserved it! He needs a therapist if he thinks that was funny. What will he do next? Break into your home with a mask on to scare the living daylights out of you? Then claim "omg it was just a joke!". Seriously.

 

[WDSearcher]

You need yo make a police report today, that wasnt funny nor was it a joke. He wuldnt have been routing the call through India if it was. He is demented
and you need to start a paper trail because if this escalates you need the paper trail. You can make a police report and not press charges but I really think you should

Well ... since the co-worker was a known practical joker -- as stated by OP -- it would appear that he's played a joke or two in the past. And apparently with no issues. If OP has ever laughed at, been in on, or even just tolerated all of those jokes, then a police report -- particularly one that calls him "demented" -- is a bit much here. What was done by the supervisor to the prankster was appropriate, IMO, and that should be the end of it.

 

[ols386]

I realize this took place at a call center, but if the jokster has enough time to be playing so-called jokes on co-workers, on company time, then he must not have enough to do to keep him busy on his job. Maybe he needs more work to do.

 

[Iforgetmypassword]

Well ... since the co-worker was a known practical joker -- as stated by OP -- it would appear that he's played a joke or two in the past. And apparently with no issues. If OP has ever laughed at, been in on, or even just tolerated all of those jokes, then a police report -- particularly one that calls him "demented" -- is a bit much here. What was done by the supervisor to the prankster was appropriate, IMO, and that should be the end of it.

For the record, I have never laughed at or been in on any of his "jokes". All I know is that he's done this sort of thing before-sent texts and somehow had them routed through India. I have only heard about them through office gossip, and that he supposedly does things like call the main desk, where our supervisor sits, and somehow masks the call, so it can't be traced, just to make prank calls. He's done this kind of thing enough that I should have realized it was him, from the things I've heard.

Like I said, he has a reputation. I know that's his reputation, but never participated, laughed with him, encourage him. If anything, I've acted more like a parent and scolded him when the subject came up and he laughed it off.

 

[horseshowmom]

For the record, I have never laughed at or been in on any of his "jokes". All I know is that he's done this sort of thing before-sent texts and somehow had them routed through India. I have only heard about them through office gossip, and that he supposedly does things like call the main desk, where our supervisor sits, and somehow masks the call, so it can't be traced, just to make prank calls. He's done this kind of thing enough that I should have realized it was him, from the things I've heard.

Like I said, he has a reputation. I know that's his reputation, but never participated, laughed with him, encourage him. If anything, I've acted more like a parent and scolded him when the subject came up and he laughed it off.

I suspect he's not laughing now. Honestly, he sounds like a first class idiot.

 

[Tozzie]

Well ... since the co-worker was a known practical joker -- as stated by OP -- it would appear that he's played a joke or two in the past. And apparently with no issues. If OP has ever laughed at, been in on, or even just tolerated all of those jokes, then a police report -- particularly one that calls him "demented" -- is a bit much here. What was done by the supervisor to the prankster was appropriate, IMO, and that should be the end of it.

I disagree I think this co worker is trouble and a police report should be made it isnt a joke and he actually committed a crime using electronic communication.

 

[WDSearcher]

I disagree I think this co worker is trouble and a police report should be made it isnt a joke and he actually committed a crime using electronic communication.

If that's the case, then it's the company's responsibility to charge him with that, not OP's. OP took it to a supervisor (well, a co-worker of OP took it to a supervisor), which is appropriate. Now it's in that supervisor's hands as to whether or not to take it further. OP certainly doesn't need to jump over the head of her supe and go to the police.

 

[Iforgetmypassword]

If that's the case, then it's the company's responsibility to charge him with that, not OP's. OP took it to a supervisor (well, a co-worker of OP took it to a supervisor), which is appropriate. Now it's in that supervisor's hands as to whether or not to take it further. OP certainly doesn't need to jump over the head of her supe and go to the police.

I agree. I don't know what punishment she gave him. I'll be curious to see if he misses a few days of work-that will mean he's been suspended. Our schedules overlap, so that he and I both work on Mondays and Tuesdays, either he or I are off the other 5 days of the week.

I'm just ignoring him for now. He knows that I'm very angry. I don't know what HR will do, I'm letting my supervisor handle it.

 

[goofyintoronto]

If that's the case, then it's the company's responsibility to charge him with that, not OP's. OP took it to a supervisor (well, a co-worker of OP took it to a supervisor), which is appropriate. Now it's in that supervisor's hands as to whether or not to take it further. OP certainly doesn't need to jump over the head of her supe and go to the police.

I agree that taking it to the supervisor is enough. Hopefully he will be suspended. That would be good enough for me.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I agree. I don't know what punishment she gave him. I'll be curious to see if he misses a few days of work-that will mean he's been suspended. Our schedules overlap, so that he and I both work on Mondays and Tuesdays, either he or I are off the other 5 days of the week.

I'm just ignoring him for now. He knows that I'm very angry. I don't know what HR will do, I'm letting my supervisor handle it.

Good. I am glad a co worker did the right thing.

 

[North of Mouse]

What upset me so much, was that HE KNEW I'D BEEN BURGLARIZED. He continued to taunt me with little facts about me.

If I hadn't figured out that it was him, I would have sent all the texts to the police, as a follow-up to the burglary. Three houses on my street were robbed within a few days. The police want us to report anything suspicious. Until I realized who it was, I thought this was someone with my stolen laptop.

He could be facing a policeman today, asking him if he knows anything about the robberies.

That was down right CRUEL!!! A grown person should know when to joke and when to keep their mouths shut and be supportive. I would be livid

I have had a bad scare before and that was bad enough on the nerves/whole body, but to be subjected with what you were - FOR NOTHING!
Sure, you're happy it was not real, but that's AFTER the fact. That guy's nuts!
So sorry for you!