The cyber-bully used the Bebo social netwoking site. Photo / Herald on Sunday
Do you know of a cyber-bullying case?
Email Rebecca Milne
A cyber-bullying victim has had his life threatened by gang members monitoring two fake social networking pages.
The man's photo and cellphone number were published on separate anti-Mongrel Mob and anti-Black Power profiles on Bebo last week.
Police confirmed they had received a complaint but a spokeswoman said it was
too early in the investigation to give an update.
The Bebo profiles sprung up at the start of last week but were taken down by Friday.
An internet user called Jeremy, who didn't want his surname used for fear of retribution, watched the drama unfold online.
"The maker of the Bebo page put it together to say they dare any Mongrel Mob members to come anywhere near them, really putting the message out there to the Mob that they're going to fight them, the same as for the Black Power."
Word spread quickly and, by last Wednesday, Mongrel Mob members were posting "really nasty" comments on the page.
"One of them actually said, 'I'm going to get a carload of the Mob and we're going to make it our mission this weekend to drive around, and hunt you down, and beat you," Jeremy said. "It was getting pretty intense. Whoever did the prank put this guy at tremendous risk."
Worried internet users tried warning the victim by phone and alerted Bebo.
The victim's father confirmed the case was being dealt with by Wellington police. He believed one person was responsible for both pages.
"Someone is trying to frame [my son] to try and get him into trouble.
"Police are making investigations right now. A complaint has been laid by [my son] because it wasn't [he] who actually made all those comments."
He said the family is frightened about the repercussions for his son, who is in his early 20s.
"It's not only sick, it's illegal and that's why we've handed it on to the police. If this person is found to have done it, charges will be laid by the police."
Netsafe director Martin Crocker had seen the pages and said it was one of the worst cases of cyber-bullying he had seen.
"We see some pretty nasty stuff when it comes to these sort of interactions in terms of the set-up of the victim and the humiliation."
Crocker said the case was made more disturbing by the possibility of violent retaliation.
The victim's father believed the culprit could be charged with fake use of identity and misuse of a computer. Under the Crimes Act someone who makes a false document but uses it as genuine could face up to three years' imprisonment.
Crocker said there was little internet users could do to protect their identity, apart from keeping mobile numbers and private details off social networking sites.
