KEY POINTS:
A NZ Postshop worker bombarded a South Auckland woman with more than 30 text messages after he copied her contact details from a parcel she had mailed earlier that day.
Amy Connell wants the man fired for breaching his position of trust and is angry that NZ Post
is withholding his personal details - which she needs for a police complaint - for "privacy reasons".
The 22-year-old woman began receiving the barrage of calls on Monday night after going to the Postshop in Manukau City to mail the parcel.
She had to fill in a form asking for her name, address, home and mobile phone number in order to send the package.
Without her knowledge, the Postshop worker who took the form copied her contact details after deciding she was "hot".
That evening Miss Connell received a text message asking her what she was doing. Because she didn't recognise the number she ignored it, but it was followed by several more text messages and missed calls from a person called James.
By Tuesday night the East Tamaki student had received 22 messages. Fed up, she sent a text back asking who James was and how he got her number. James initially said it was a secret but later admitted he worked at the Postshop.
He said he thought Miss Connell was "hot" when she came in to mail her parcel and he hoped she didn't mind him calling.
She told him she did mind, but his messages continued.
At one stage in the evening a car with young men in it drove up and down her quiet street several times and stopped outside her house.
On Wednesday morning Miss Connell phoned NZ Post to complain. She was told James would be spoken to but she kept getting messages.
She was then told to phone the police but was unable to file a restraining order against James because NZ Post would not give her his surname for "privacy reasons".
Another time she was told it was not NZ Post's problem and it had done all it could. Miss Connell is angry it took six calls - during which time James was still texting her - before NZ Post took her complaint seriously.
Late yesterday, after the Herald became involved, she was finally given an apology and told that James would be facing disciplinary action.
The text messages had stopped last night, but Miss Connell is worried because he knows her address and other personal details. She is also angry that she still can't file a police complaint because NZ Post is withholding James' surname.
"He's got all my details but they can't even give me his last name. I would like him to lose his job and then for them to take proper precautions against this happening again."
NZ Post spokeswoman Fiona Mayo said the company was working through privacy issues in relation to giving Miss Connell information about James. It was also holding an urgent meeting with him but it was too early to say what action he would face.
"It's very, very concerning and we are taking [what happened] very seriously."
Ms Mayo said James had undergone security and references checks and had taken part in an induction course explaining the position of trust a NZ Post member holds. It was rare for something like this to happen and the company was sorry.
It was also sorry for the delay in dealing with Miss Connell's complaint and processes were being reviewed to ensure that did not happen again.
Safety tips
* Vodafone, in association with Netsafe, the internet safety group, suggests people who are being harassed by text should call Netsafe on 0508 NETSAFE (0508-638-723) for advice and help.
* They also advise people to be extremely careful about who they give their number to and not to give it to people they don't know.
* If you get a text from an unknown person, do not reply to it.
- additional reporting: James Ihaka
