The Harvard University Police Department wants to provide an update and resources available as a result of the October 3 threatening email and subsequent messages. First and foremost, please know that the HUPD has treated this incident as a hate crime from its onset. The investigation, which involves the HUPD collaborating with federal and international law enforcement authorities, is active and ongoing.
Any person who receives an email or other social media contact (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.) that concerns you we ask that that you forward that email to reportacrime@hupd.harvard.edu. Emails sent to that account will be reviewed by a team of detectives to determine appropriate follow-up.
Below please find information on keeping your identity secure, how to block this sender, or anyone else in the future who you do not want to have contact with, from contacting you, and how to maintain your privacy on Facebook.
Personal Information
Information from the Federal Trade Commission on “How to Keep Your Personal Information Secure
www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0272-how-keep-your-personal-information-secure
Filtering/Blocking Unwanted Emails
Gmail: https://support.google.com/mail/answer/8151?hl=en
- Open the email that you want to filter.
- On the right hand side use the pull down menu and select : “Filter messages like this”
- In the window that opens up select “Create filter” with this search, from the bottom right corner
- On the next window choose the option that you wish to happen to all of the emails from this sender and then click on the “Create Filter” button
Google’s policy on harassment from a Gmail user:
https://support.google.com/mail/answer/29434?hl=en
Reporting abuse to Google and Gmail
https://support.google.com/mail/contact/abuse?hl=en
Microsoft and Hotmail
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/outlook/abuse-phishing-junk-email
Outlook
https://support.office.com/en-us/article/block-a-mail-sender-b29fd867-cac9-40d8-aed1-659e06a706e4
- Right click on the email that you wish to block, then select the Junk item from the list and select either “Block Sender” or “Junk Email Options”.
- If you chose “Junk Email Options” a new window pops up with several tabs. Select the blocked senders tab.
- Click on add. A new window pops up prompting you to type in the email address you wish to add to the blocked senders list.
Privacy on Facebook
On the top right of any Facebook page, use the dropdown menu (white arrow symbol) and select “Settings.” In the left column, select “Privacy.”
To restrict friend requests:
- In the window “Who can send you friend request?” choose “Friends of Friends” option
- Facebook does not have an option of blocking a person who is not already your friend. If you get an unwanted friend request, mark it as unwelcome. Eventually the sender will be banned from sending future requests.
You can also filter messages you get in your Facebook inbox:
- For “Whose messages do I want to filtered into my Inbox?” select “Strict filtering”
- To limit the visibility of your email and telephone number you provided FB with, go to “Who can look me up?” window and select “Friends” or “Friends of Friends.”
You can also restrict the visibility of your Facebook account in search results.
- In the go to “Who can look me up?” window, open “Do you want other search engines to link to your timeline” and select “No.”
If at any time you feel uncomfortable or are concerned about your safety please contact the HUPD at 617-495-1212.