(WSVN) - Imagine getting videos of a loaded gun, followed by threatening messages. That’s what’s happening to some people after their phones are stolen. Here’s what to do if it happens to you. 7’s Heather Walker investigates.
Man on video: “You [expletive] better stop playing with me.”
This is the video that turned a fun night out with friends into a nightmare.
Shino Aguilera: “It’s definitely scary when the person on the video says, ‘Stop playing with me,’ and it shows an automatic weapon and loading it. Yeah, I got scared.”
Shino Aguilera was at an Art Basel event when his cellphone was stolen. He got a new phone and shut down the old one, which allowed him to keep his phone number.
But as soon as his new phone was activated, the messages from the thief started. Videos and text messages.
Shino Aguilera: “‘I’m going to kill you. I’m going to kill your mother. I know where you live. You live in Miami.'”
Another text said his “whole family will get slaughtered” and even threatened to “beat and rape” him.
Shino Aguilera: “It’s more now than losing your phone. It’s bullying, it’s threatening, it’s feeling unsafe.”
The crooks wanted the stolen phone unlocked. They sent messages to Shino telling him how to do it. They even texted him a message to pull at his heartstrings.
Shino Aguilera: “I got a message like, ‘Oh, I bought this in a secondhand store for my daughter, and now we can’t open it because it’s attached to your Cloud or whatever, please.’ Begging me and make me feel sorry.”
And Shino isn’t alone.
Other victims sent 7 Investigates messages they received after their phones were stolen. They were the exact same messages Shino got, even though their phones were stolen at different locations.
Officer Mike Vega, Miami Police Department: “Thank you for bringing it to our attention.”
7 Investigates reached out to Miami PD. The department tells us that we were the first to inform them of these threats, telling us that the fact that everyone received the same messages is a good indicator that, more than likely, these threats are false.
Officer Mike Vega: “So, most of these are fake messages. They’re trying to get you to get to the number, to get the information that they’re looking for. Maybe it’s a bank account, maybe it’s just to get access to a phone that they had already stolen from you. So it’s important that you do not give them any information.”
Police say, if you get one of these threats, screenshot or screen record the message and report it to police. After you document the threats, block the number.
Shino hopes telling his story will help the next person who finds themselves on the receiving end of these terrorizing texts.
Shino Aguilera: “You lose more than just a phone. This – a lot of these things that can affect your life.”
And he hopes the cellphone companies can come up with a way to make sure thieves can’t get your information from a stolen phone.
Heather Walker, 7News.
CONTACT 7 INVESTIGATES:
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7Investigates@wsvn.com
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