Mobile phones provide an excellent means of keeping in touch, however a small minority of people use mobile phones for less desirable reasons, such as sending abusive text messages or making threatening phone calls.

Virgin Mobile has put together the following tips for anyone who is worried about becoming a victim of such abuse or is being harassed via their mobile phone.

• Avoid giving out your personal details (such as your mobile phone number) to anyone except close family and friends. Don’t leave your mobile where people can see your number.
• Save any abusive text messages or voicemails as evidence and remember diverting your phone to voicemail is free on Virgin Mobile and is a good way to avoid answering a call from someone you don’t want to speak to.
• Never reply to these messages or encourage further communication.
• Tell other people about the messages so you don’t have to suffer alone.
• It’s a criminal offence to use a mobile phone to menace or harass or offend another person. Almost all malicious calls can be traced. Remember to keep a copy of the message, record the time and date of the call and tell your school or parents.
• If you have reported the matter to the police and have an incident number Virgin Mobile can change your number free of charge.

If you are having problems with bullying we suggest that you contact one of the following organisations for help:

Reach Out!
An online help facility, where you can talk to others in the same situation and get information on what support is available to you: www.reachout.com.au

Kidsline
Kids Help Line is Australia's only free, confidential and anonymous, 24-hour telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between five and 18. You can call them free from your Virgin Mobile service on 1800 551800 or you can check them out at www.kidshelpline.com.au