On Feb 20, I started receiving SMSes and calls in Mandarin from strangers asking to meet me.

I ignored the first few, but when more came, I wondered what was going on. I asked one of them , who showed me an ad in a Chinese marketplace website (based in China) for the Singapore market purportedly put up by me. It included my profile picture, name and mobile number, and stated that I was looking for men.

I was shocked and immediately made a police report. I also wrote to the webmaster of the website to take down the ad since it was not put up by me.

I also made a magistrate's complaint, and was later told my complaint had been referred to the police to investigate.

About 11/2 months later, the police replied that they had to close the case since there had been no tangible developments.

I called the investigation officer, suggesting he write to his counterparts in China to look into the matter, but was told no one there would bother to investigate it. He said there were many such cases, but the police could not do anything.

I asked my MP for help, and she asked the police not to close the case..

My MP also asked the Infocomm Media Development Authority if it could ban the marketplace website in Singapore. The authority told me there was nothing it could do.

I engaged a lawyer who asked the website to take down the ad, but the appeal was ignored.

Till now, I have received about 700 SMSes and calls, some of which come in the wee hours. I replied to every one to say I did not put up the ad and not to contact me again, and immediately blocked their numbers.

I know I can change my phone number, but the root of the problem is still not resolved as long as the ad is online.

I am at a loss as to what to do next. It is a shame that the authorities are not able to protect me from a matter as malicious as this, which may just be ruining my life. Karen Sim