Yahoo Harassment Issue

[FallenZen]

Okay, a friend of mine is getting consistently harassed by a few certain people on her Yahoo messenger (version 5.6). She adds them to her ignore list, but somehow they seem to be able to get around it. Sometimes the names disappear from the ignore list, but typically they don't disappear, more that the list is simply ineffective in their cases.. As near as I can tell they run the standard Yahoo clients (they aren't malicious or anything.. just stupid kids nagging her to strip on cam which she doesn't do and doesn't want to hear about). These people don't strike me as being very bright on the average, but they obviously know something I don't.

There, now that the background's been filled in (perhaps more than you cared to know)...
I'd like to know how they're bypassing her list and how I can stop them from bypassing it. I really don't like the idea of crashing their machines, but I haven't got much recourse other than that at the moment. Any help would be very appreciated.

-Zen

[slick8790]

the only thing i can think of offhand is maybe change her screen name? i mean, if they dont know it is her they cant ask for her to strip, can they? if thats not an option, i dont know what else you could do....



slick

[nihil]

i don't use that type of P2P app these days but you might like to have a look at:

http://www.bitdefender.com/

They do free security plugins for most popular P2P apps. Might help?

Good Luck

[MrLinus]

What about filing a complaint with Yahoo?

I'm pretty sure that Yahoo would have certain rules about stuff like this. Also, (I don't remember since I don't use a standard IM anymore) perhaps ensuring that only those on her list can send her messages?

[SonofGalen]

I'm not all the Yahoo savvy, I don't use it at all in fact. However, what exactly is the Ignore list? Does it mean that they don't see her online, or that they can't send her messages? If its the former, Yahoo DOES allow you to send messages to offline people. Just a thought...

I'd go with MsMittens on this. File a complaint at them.

[!mitationRust]

I like to get my " jollies and yarbbles " off in yahoo fight room with my trusty soundboards http://www.ebaumsworld.com/soundboards.shtml
Thus I used the modifed http://help.yahoo.com/help/us/chat/cjava/
Tell her to log into this messenger instead of the regular. This one always kept me from getting booted.

[Alt_Ctrl_Delete]

Ok fallen try this site out.. www.h-a-t-e.com..
This is were most of those yahoo programs come from that enable people to do the things that those idiots have been doing..
go to the downloads section..

There are a heap of faults in the yahoo chat client..
Witch enables people to easily make VB programs to exploit it.

There are also programs there that will most likely stop these people in there tracks, but the best option would just for her to change her user name.

cheers
stacy

[Drunk On Duvel]

Make a new handle and bammo. Problem solved.

Man, people make a mountain out of a molehill.

[FallenZen]

A point of clarification: These aren't people she knows - they're random people who are pests that refuse to be ignored. Thus changing her screen name would only mean that different people would pester her and make themselves un-ignorable. Also, she meets plenty of people online, many of them local - which is why she has her account set up the way she does to begin with.

I believe the Yahoo ignore list causes the ignored user to be unable to send messages to the user(s) who have ignored them.

Anyhow - I'll look into the links posted (Thanks to all who posted them) but my main curiosity is how they're getting around her ignore list so I can find a way to stop them from being able to do so.

Thanks for the input and if anyone has anything else to add please feel free to do so. The more info I get the happier I'll be. After all, might as well learn from this while I'm trying to solve it.

-Zen