Anti-harassment and paparazzi deterrence

Problem

Receiving harassment of any kind is upsetting – but when it’s clear your harasser knows where you live, it can be terrifying. When we were called in by a well-known individual about harassment that seemed to threaten their family’s safety, we knew we had to act fast.

Our client was receiving frequent harassment by email as well as post to their corporate and residential addresses.

What we did

In anticipation of our lawyers issuing a legal request for injunctive relief, our intelligence team undertook an open source investigation to establish the identity, background and motivations of the antagonist. This included online and social media research, as well as evaluation of email metadata and, working with a behavioural psychologist, a psychological assessment of the correspondence.

In the meantime, we advised the client on security arrangements, including the physical security of their property, to keep them as safe as possible.

Result

We successfully traced the antagonist to a jurisdiction in continental Europe. Working with counsel in the jurisdiction, we prepared a cease and desist order to be served on the individual.

Further investigation revealed the case to be more complex than it first appeared. We found the perpetrator was a vulnerable individual being manipulated into their actions by an elaborate phishing campaign. Scammers impersonating members of our clients’ close family were seeking to extract funds from this person.

Having discovered the full extent of the issue, we engaged with the individual and persuaded them to desist. Our client was no longer harassed and felt comfortable with their improved security.

Capabilities Used
  • Privacy threat & injunctions
  • Litigation & dispute support
  • Digital forensics
  • Research & analytics
  • Design, test & secure systems
  • Security risk analysis, planning & management

Need help with a similar situation?

Schillings represents high-net-worth individuals, families, C-Suites and global businesses. We advise on high-value and complex issues relating to protecting privacy, security and reputation.

To discuss how we can help you please call +44 (0)20 7034 9000