Verizon® Faces Lawsuit After Allegedly Aiding a Stalker
A woman from Wake County, North Carolina, is suing Verizon Wireless®, claiming the company provided her phone number, call logs, and home address to a man she says was stalking her. The stalker, identified as Robert Glauner, allegedly obtained her data by posing as a law enforcement officer. Days later, he was arrested outside her home with a razor blade and rope, according to the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
How the Stalking Began
The woman, referred to as "M.D." in court documents, according to LawandCrime.com, met Glauner online in August 2023, but quickly grew uncomfortable and blocked him on all platforms. Despite this, Glauner continued contacting her using different numbers. Following police advice, M.D. changed her phone number at a Verizon® store in September 2023, hoping to end the harassment. However, her peace lasted just 10 days.
How the Stalker Tricked Verizon
According to the lawsuit, Glauner impersonated a detective, "Steven Cooper" of the Cary Police Department, and sent an email to Verizon's Security Assistance Team, as reported by WRAL News. He included a fake search warrant, claiming M.D. was a suspect in a homicide investigation. Glauner requested her new phone number, call logs, text messages, and GPS data, stating she planned to flee the country.
Verizon allegedly complied, providing Glauner with M.D.'s personal information. Days later, he called Verizon again, asking for help in understanding the records he had received.
Escalating Threats
Once armed with M.D.'s information, Glauner intensified his harassment. He contacted her family and friends with threatening messages, warning, "I'm not going to stop until she messages me," as reported by WRAL News, and suggesting that things "are not gonna get any better for (her)" if she continued to ignore him. His messages included violent threats, warning he would "come and climb into her bedroom window and then tie her up and rape her." Glauner also threatened to "get a rifle" and warned, "If I can't have you, no one can."
Following these threats, M.D. contacted law enforcement, and authorities set up surveillance around her home.
The Arrest
On Nov. 6, 2023, police arrested Glauner near M.D.'s home, where he was hiding in a neighbor's yard. He was found with a razor blade, and his car contained rope, a meth pipe, and methamphetamine. He now faces federal charges, including stalking and traveling with the intent to kill, injure, or harass. Glauner also has prior stalking charges in California.
The Lawsuit
M.D. is suing Verizon for negligence, violation of the Stored Communications Act, and reckless infliction of emotional distress. She seeks at least $75,000 in damages, claiming that Verizon's actions directly enabled Glauner's harassment. Her attorney, Amanda Dure, stated, "It was a harassment campaign only made possible by the release of this information," according to WRAL News.
This case underscores the need for companies like Verizon to safeguard customer data and verify suspicious requests. M.D.'s lawsuit highlights the severe consequences of failing to protect personal information.
References: 'Pick me up a f—ing rifle': Woman sues Verizon for giving accused stalker her personal records, prompting him to allegedly show up at her house with a knife | 'Knife, rope and the intent to kill:' Wake County woman sues Verizon for giving contact information to alleged stalker
