Legal Question in Technology Law in New Hampshire

Harrasment and Impersonating

I was wondering if someone could help me.

I met a person online, but for several years he pretended to be a person he made, including job, lifestype, family etc.

He had me a emotional wresck for all that time, worrying about him and all his so called problems. I found out later he lied about the whole thing, and he finally fessed up to me.. more for the reason others had caught him in it.

This is not my problem.. but now he is harresing me with emails and threatening me.. that I was never a friend, how could I ruin our friendship etc etc.

I wrote him and asked him to please leave me alone, because he is going on message boards harresing and slandering me.

Is there anything I can do? I dont want to file a suit against him, but I also want to know my rights just incase.

Thank you!!


Asked on 4/21/02, 2:41 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Bruce Burdick Burdick Law Firm

Re: Harrasment and Impersonating

Your is not really a legal question.

I would suggest to put a block in your email program for his email address. That will easily stop the emails.

On bulletin boards, etc. I suggest not responding at all, even once. You have a delete button, use it. Most hotheads lose interest if you do not give them any attention. Recognize that he may escalate the slanders until he realizes he will get no attention from you and that you are never going to respond. They usually soon thereafter end.

Defamation, slander and libel suits are usually a waste of time unless there is real money involved on one or the other side and you are being commercially damaged. Lawyers, if they have any sense, do not take these cases unless there is a rich defendant, rich plaintiff who is willing to part with money to prove a point or to steamroll a poor defendant, or the lawyer has a political agenda or is paid by some third party with a political agenda.

Self-help or a thick skin is usually preferable to litigation in defamation situations, but this is not the forum for dispensing that sort of activity.

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Answered on 4/21/02, 4:49 pm


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