TRUE CRIME and URBAN LEGENDS

Amanda Bulliner, 25, Newport, New Hampshire

Amanda Bulliner wanted her ex back. No matter what it took.

And she had a plan.

In early fall 2007, Amanda told Newport police she was getting calls from a man threatening to kill her and her children. The man was also calling her ex. Amanda recorded some of the calls for evidence and brought the recordings to the police.

But the threats continued.

Things escalated. In February, Amanda said a man forced his way into her house and beat up her and her children. The children’s faces had marks from being hit. Amanda’s 8 year-old son described the assailant for police. Poor Amanda lost consciousness while talking about her ordeal and had to be taken by ambulance to the hospital.

The police were stumped.

The calls seemed to be untraceable. Amanda’s caller ID and phone bills showed various phone numbers. But, police efforts to track them down went nowhere. In the meantime the same mysterious voice was repeatedly threatening Amanda, her children and her ex-husband.

Fortunately, Amanda’s stalker made a mistake.

He called the police station.

Police Chief, David Hoyt called the number back and a woman from another state answered. The woman told Chief Hoyt that shortly before “his” call a man had telephoned her and asked a lot of questions. The woman thought it was a prank and hung up. But Hoyt was stunned when the woman described her caller’s voice — it seemed to be the the same man who had called the station and left a threatening voice message for Amanda Bulliner

Hoyt called Verizon Security to find out if there was a way to change your phone so a different phone number shows up on the person-you-are-calling’s ”caller ID” display. Phone “spoofing” technology, he was told, allows you to do that. It also lets you to alter your voice.

Hoyt easily found phonespoofing.com online, spent $10 and obtained 60 minutes of phone time. He tried it out. Strangely, the male voice Hoyt chose for a ”disguise”, was the very same voice as Amanda’s alleged stalker’s.

“Amanda really messed up,” says Chief David Hoyt. The spoofing company’s records were subpoened. Amanda Bulliner turned up as one of their best customers.

Police say when Amanda was confronted, she admitted to making the many “spoof” calls. She has also admitted to pulling her children into her elaborate scheme by telling them ”what to say” to police — and to hitting her children in the face, deliberately leaving red marks, to make her story more credible.

Police say Amanda “did it” for love. She wanted to reconcile with her ex-husband and was pretending to be a victim to win his attention.

This week, Amanda Bulliner was arrested and charged with nine misdemeanors, including three counts of false reports to law enforcement; one count each of false public alarm and criminal threatening; and two counts each of harassment and endangering the welfare of a child.

She is out on bail pending arraignment on June, 17.