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Woman Refuses To Change Her Phone Number, Current Owner Starts Making Her Life Hell
Woman Refuses To Change Her Phone Number, Current Owner Starts Making Her Life Hell
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Woman Refuses To Change Her Phone Number, Current Owner Starts Making Her Life Hell

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Phone messages can be both super important and super annoying, depending on the context. For example, a message asking you to confirm a doctor’s appointment you’ve been waiting for for months for is extremely important; a message sent by accident by someone you don’t know, on the other hand, is not.

For this redditor, most of the messages he received belonged to the second category, as they were usually directed at a different person – the previous number holder. The latter didn’t care much for either the important messages, like appointment confirmations, nor the arguably less significant ones, like old flames trying to rekindle the relationship. Fed up with it all, the OP only saw one way out of the situation, and that was petty revenge. Scroll down to find the full story in his own words below.

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    Messages can be a great way to stay in touch or a total headache, depending on the context

    Image credits: MART PRODUCTION / Pexels (not the actual photo)

    This person got fed up with receiving messages that were not meant for him

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    While many people nowadays use messaging apps, some communicate via good old SMS messages

    Getting a call or a message from a person looking for someone else is not that bothersome. Until it happens again. And again. And one more time. That’s when it can become seriously annoying, and often encourage the person on the receiving end to take action; be it cursing at the sender or taking petty revenge the way the OP did.

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    You might be surprised to learn that the redditor was bothered with phone messages, of all things. After all, who in the world uses SMS messaging well into the 21st century? Even though many people have turned to other channels of communication, like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, or Instagram, quite a few still stick with good ol’ SMS (Short Message Service) messages.

    If you’re curious about what the leaders are in the world of messaging, as of April 2024, WhatsApp tops the list of the most popular mobile messenger apps worldwide (used by roughly 2000 million active users each month). It is followed by Weixin/WeChat (1,343 million monthly active users), Facebook Messenger (just over 1000 million), and Telegram (900 million) respectively. As for SMS messages – close to five billion people worldwide reportedly engage in text messaging.

    Image credits: Anete Lusina / Pexels (not the actual photo)

    SMS messages “accidentally” sent to the wrong person are a common scam tactic

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    In addition to being annoying, misaddressed messages can be hazardous, too, as they are often used by scammers to trick people out of their money. Over the last few years, “accidental” text messages have become one of the most common ways to get individuals involved in crypto scams, NBC News reports.

    By sending out an innocent-looking message, supposedly to someone other than the receiver, scammers try to get them to engage in a conversation. That’s when they start working on getting people involved even more and eventually investing in some shady business.

    “They’re looking for engagement. As long as you respond, they can start the conversation,” Chester Wisniewski, a principal research scientist at the cybersecurity company Sophos, told NBC News. According to him, con artists usually persuade victims to take their conversation to a messaging app before convincing them to download an investment app and make certain questionable decisions. NBC News reports that roughly between the end of 2021 and mid-2022, the FBI has identified 244 victims of such crypto investment scams, adding up to a combined loss of $42.7 million dollars.

    Luckily for the OP, he did not find himself involved in a crypto scam. However, he didn’t favor his situation that much, either, as after changing numbers, he was constantly bombarded by the previous holder’s—Christine’s—friends, family, and debt collectors. To put an end to it, the redditor decided to get petty revenge, which seemed to have done the trick. Fellow redditors applauded his way of getting back at the lazy number holder.

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    Fellow netizens shared their thoughts in the comments

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    Some seemingly encountered similar situations themselves

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    Miglė Miliūtė

    Miglė Miliūtė

    Writer, Community member

    Read more »

    A writer here at Bored Panda, I am a lover of good music, good food, and good company, which makes food-related topics and feel-good stories my favorite ones to cover. Passionate about traveling and concerts, I constantly seek occasions to visit places yet personally unexplored. I also enjoy spending free time outdoors, trying out different sports—even if I don’t look too graceful at it—or socializing over a cup of coffee.

    Read less »
    Miglė Miliūtė

    Miglė Miliūtė

    Writer, Community member

    A writer here at Bored Panda, I am a lover of good music, good food, and good company, which makes food-related topics and feel-good stories my favorite ones to cover. Passionate about traveling and concerts, I constantly seek occasions to visit places yet personally unexplored. I also enjoy spending free time outdoors, trying out different sports—even if I don’t look too graceful at it—or socializing over a cup of coffee.

    Rugilė Žemaitytė

    Rugilė Žemaitytė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Read more »

    As a Visual Editor at Bored Panda, my favorite part of the job involves browsing the web for the cutest cat pics, the funniest memes and eye-catching illustrations to brighten up your day!

    Read less »

    Rugilė Žemaitytė

    Rugilė Žemaitytė

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    As a Visual Editor at Bored Panda, my favorite part of the job involves browsing the web for the cutest cat pics, the funniest memes and eye-catching illustrations to brighten up your day!

    What do you think ?
    Dave In MD
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Got a new number once and got a call that started off with "Yo, bro. I didn't know you was out". Had to tell them sorry he is probably not out. Try again in 3 to 5 years.

    Sue User
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Years ago i got a new number. Immediatelygot calls from debt collectors. Got the vompany name, then called my State Attorney Generals office. Calls stopped Make your govt work for you.

    Amelia Jade
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I kept getting emails from a school in one of the Dakotas. I forget which one, it was awhile ago. I emailed the school to let them know I live in Nevada and don't have kids at their school. They ignored me. I emailed again and told them that I have full access to the parents account because of my email and they should probably fix the situation. They actually responded and said there was nothing they could do because it was the parents responsibility to update their info. So, my husband spent an afternoon enrolling that family's 20 other kids. Never got another email again. Another time I got confirmation of a rental car at an airport in France. I was able to use my email to change the password and I had all of this person's info. I reached out, told them and nothing. I got a couple more emails about my reservation and upcoming trip. So, I went in and canceled the reservation. They'd have no idea because the cancelation confirmation came to me.

    P Peitsch
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I don't get the e-mail part. Gmail or yahoo or any other provider, where I have/had an e-mail address, don't let you register a username already existing in their database. So, you can't register Iamreallydumb, if there is already one user with that name. You can have Iamreallydumb1 or any other plus character, but in this case Iamreallydumb user won't get your emails. So, at which provider can someone register an already existing e-mail address? And please, don't tell me, that people are dumb enough to just make up an e-mail address,

    Load More Replies...
    wayne whitson
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I got a NEW phone & NEW number. I HAD TO GET ANOTHER NUMBER IN 72 HOURS. The previous user was apparently a VERY BUSY D**G DEALER.

    Ash
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    ugh I had this problem. A dude named Floyd. He's lucky I'm not a stalker: even without TRYING, I knew everything about him: what kind of jobs he worked, which gas station he stopped at for coffee every morning, how much it cost and whether he used his credit card, the fact that he was looking to buy a new pickup truck... Even now, I occasionally get texts for him. My grandma was really confused the last time I called her landline because the caller ID said some guy named Floyd was calling her.

    Neb
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well, I seem no longer getting calls for Brian... 8 years after I got his former number.

    dollh h
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    They could have just blocked the numbers. Takes seconds. No drama, no needless conversations. Don't answer, just block.

    SnootWaggling Fox
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Helps for blocking the family members and some businesses, but doesn't help for things like debt collectors using VoIP to call from a new number every time. I'm going on 20 years getting calls from debt collectors for some guy who presumably used to have my number and blocking their numbers hasn't helped a bit.

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    kath morgan
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I am surprised the debt collectors gave up, my friend had this happen and was harassed for years.

    SnootWaggling Fox
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Same. Going on 20 years of debt collectors calling my number

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    Hiram's Friend
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I just tell them that the person who had the number is in prison now.

    Apatheist Account2
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've only had this when I bought my first flat. Used to get calls at 8am on Sunday morning from a guy in China. Took 2 or 3 attempts to convince him that the previous owner was no longer there.

    A Strike
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So. I thought it would be funny to get a number that starts with 420. Oh my god the amount of spam and junk calls I get is insane. I haven’t been able to take my phone off “personal” settings once so I can’t get calls from anyone except the few people on my let through list. The calls start at 6am and go all day. Big regret. :/

    Schmebulock
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Passed up a great opportunity for free entertainment!

    Seedy Vine
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What if the owner of the old number had a stroke or a debilitating injury, or is going through something serious? I wouldn't want the bad karma of messing with their life via their old phone number. Perhaps a little more compassion? The universe just might've brought the two together for a reason.

    Roberta Surprenant
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Over a dozen years since having my phone, I still get occasional messages for last person to have the number....

    Bookworm
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I had this situation. In mine after a few months the former owner called me and demanded I give everyone calling him his new number. I guess he realized he didn't have everyone's contact info. If he'd asked and not waited months I would have just to be nice. Back then clouds didn't exist to save your info and it was pretty common for contacts to not all transfer. But he waited until after I'd spent months telling people he had a new number and I didn't know it. The calls finally started slowing down. I wasn't going to go through that again for a stranger who started out with "Here's what you need to do....." I told him the only thing I needed to do was nothing. He could update everyone himself. Oddly enough I never got a call for him after this.

    Mike F
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The place I worked at before I retired had a company phone for each driver and each of the 3 of us in the office. Whenever we got new phones (every 3 or so years) many of the drivers would experience the same thing. Kinda to be expected since we had 20 ish drivers and phones, but like the OP, it got ridiculous from time to time.

    Cee Cee
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not the same but annoying and a bit worrying. British Airways must have recorded an employees mobile number wrongly. I had a weekend of texts regarding scheduling, staffing etc. Needless to say no number to call and customer services were useless. Eventually found a number for one of the employee's on LinkedIn but what a hassle and waste of my time.

    SnootWaggling Fox
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Very kind of you to attempt to help them with the situation

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    Black Bottle Entertainment
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I got Calls for a Docter Dianne Seqoia for about 7 years. She was a veterinarian so I would get random calls like "DIANNE! GISMO HAS THE $H!TS AGAIN! PLEASE HELP"

    Artful Penguin
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I used to get texts for someone named Dave. They were all from friends and family. Birthday party videos, pictures, death announcements, general "hey how are you" things... I would always reply that they had the wrong number. This went on for over 2 years. I had a contact in my phone called "Dave wrong numbers" and I would add too it as I got the messages. Then one day I got an emergency alert. His daughter still had the wrong number listed in her phone for her emergency contact, and accidently activated it. I was able to speak to her, explain what had been happening and she got him to send a mass text to all his contacts to be sure they all had the right number. And I never got another misdirected message again!

    Sarah Léon
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My mother was a widow when she met my father, and when they took a home, they used my mother's late husband name for the phone number, I don't know why. It was before I was even conceived. 25 years later, I started uni and every week I received at least 1 call for Michel (my mother's late husband I never met). My father explained to me he never took the time to change the name, so we knew it was spam when they asked for Michel. So every time they asked, I took my saddest voice, whispering "he died". Some excused themselves but most of the callers just hung up without a word. Tough !

    Summer S
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When my parents moved into their current house and got a new phone number, they kept on getting calls from debt collectors. Took a couple years for the calls to stop

    C.O. Shea
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This post made my day!!! 😂🥰😂

    StarCrossedFriday
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Maybe I’m missing something, but if she never confirmed any appointments why would any of them still be valid? Or does not replying equal confirmation?

    Say No to Downvoting
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    SHE thinks they are still valid because she made them previously but OP cancels them without her knowledge so she still rocks up expecting it to be on.

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    Betsy S
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not electronic, but physical. We've lived in our house for 2 yrs now, and I'm still getting mail from the previous tenants. I write RTS on every one, with a note "not at this address" and nothing changes. Month after month I get the same envelopes (I think one of them is from a VISA account, judging by the return address with no company name) and I've started writing a tad more angrily in stages for them to update their files. I hope eventually they will realize that they're not getting their statements and/or VISA will actually CONTACT THEM and ask for an address update to fix their files. I suspect I'll be that skeleton in the coffee shop "waiting for..." before this is over.

    Pixie T
    Community Member
    10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Mine isn't a new number but around 15 years ago my ex friend put myself and her then girlfriend ( Laura) on her mobile plan as it worked out cheaper for all of us. Now my number and Laura's number were quite similar except the last 2 digits. Cue to 7 years ago and I start getting calls for Laura from debt collection agencies, letters in the post, court summons, threatened with bailiffs. I don't know how many times I said wrong number and just when I thought it was all resolved a new collection agency takes over and it starts again. I did a little bit of Facebook stalking and found her address, now if they call I send them to her house. Been a year since I've has any bother 😁

    Elizabeth Deighton
    Community Member
    10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My son had an email address and soon started to get messages inc bank details. He manged to contact the person concerned who was horrified when he related bank details. They cancelled it very quickly

    Jan Kovář
    Community Member
    11 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This happened to me twice, both cases company numbers. First case was person that must have run lot of shady business in his free time. I received requests if can still manage to deliver a motor for some truck or if I can still get my hands on some crashed car. The previous number owner was working in IT. Second case was kind of game for me. The number must have been given to very large extended family. It was not a big traffic, but I have received very confusing messages like: "Mary has 5 newborns." OMG, quintuplets? Took me a year to find out that Mary is a cat. And every year some family congratulated Veronica to her birthday, I have always politely replied that I am new owner of the number and there is no Veronica here, to receive best wishes next year. My brother-in-law now has a daughter called Veronica, so I always pass her best wishes from someone she does not know and thank for her to people who do not know her either. (Date does not much, but who cares after 12 years.)

    Dave Morris
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    A few years back, friends of mine in Coventry got a number that used to belong to, well lets just say a female who mainly worked at night. The female half of the couple spent a fair few drunken evenings pretending to be that person, making non-existent appointments.. lots of blue balls in the pervs of the town. The story did get in the local papers as well.

    Dekker451
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Or (and I guess this is just a batshit insane idea to some people) just block the offending numbers an emails. FFS, I can't count how many times I've seen people make their lives more difficult by overthinking a problem.

    Anna Drever
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was getting messages that my DVDs or videos, can’t remember which were overdue in Johnsonville NZ and I lived at the other end of the island. We’re talking several hours away. Then it was schools and also relatives. Finally after some years radio silence. Thank goodness.

    Milady Blue
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I got a new phone number, which belonged to some dude with collections on his case. Said collectors went NUTS on me. I kept explaining they had the wrong number. Their supervisor got on the phone, and told me to quit covering for him, because **I** was now on the hook for this dude's debts. I called the non emergency number for the local police, because these collectors were just relentless. I don't know WHAT the cop told them, but that supervisor was really snotty when I called him for the last time and told him that the cops advised me to tell him to take my number off the list.

    Beth Wheeler
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Similar situation when my son wanted to get off his father's bill and get his own plan but Verizon wanted over $400 which he couldn't afford. I added him to my plan which is cheaper than what his part was on his father's bill. He started getting all kinds of calls for a Samantha Perry, mostly bill collectors. He kept telling them they have the wrong number, it's his number. I even called Verizon to see if it was a recycled number & no it was a new number. I'm a medical scheduler and asked my boss to type in his number and her name came up so she deleted the number so he wouldn't start getting calls for her Dr appts. Verizon tracked it down and she had lied and made up a number that legally belongs to me. The calls finally stopped after about 3 years.

    AR
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I sometimes get emails for someone who has a similar name to mine because Gmail is screwing up. It’s mainly from her dentist so I just ignore them because they’re not often.

    H. B. Nielsen
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Some if this I get, but how her boss still had this number after so long is beyond me.

    Emilu
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    ... just ask your provider for a new number. Ain't that hard.

    XYZ
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I had the same probably a decade or more ago. Every month this elderly gentleman would call to talk to ‘Michael’ who I presumed to be his son. Every time I told him gently that it wasn’t Michael phone number anymore. And then he’d call again right after putting the phone down probably assuming that he got a digit wrong. It continued month after month for about two years. I considered blocking him but felt sorry for him and didn’t. One month the second call was from his wife. I told her the same and that the number had been mine for about 2 years by then. That was the last time they called me. I wonder if they ever managed to find Michael.

    SAF saf
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've had this happen in mail form. Previous home owner refused to update mailing addresses to multiple places. They have knocked asking if we have received the following: -personal letters -multiple insurance checks -(2) large bottles of Maple Syrup -numerous Amazon packages. Mind you these people moved out 3 years ago! What ever doesn't say our name gets given to the mail man. The other issue? I live on the corner in a high traffic area. we're constantly getting mail stolen. I'm pretty sure some kid stole that maple syrup.

    Skadi Lifdis
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yep. I keep getting calls from debt collectors looking for the guy who used to have my work cell number. 18 months of telling them to remove the number but still getting calls and texts. A couple of months back, I started getting notices of a total loss payout for a car accident. I called the insurance company to tell them this guy isn't associated with this number and they accidentally gave me his email address. I tracked him down, found his website and current number. I emailed him, explaining the situation and how I hoped it was a mistake or something. He was so rude and denied using the number. So next call I got about it, told them it was fraud and to investigate the claim. And I give his new number to the collectors who call.

    Display_Name
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Currently I can’t use my phone number that I’ve had for over a year to work Instacart because the previous owner had an account. Instacart won’t update my phone number even though I’ve shown them my current statement. I have to get consent from the previous owner so I can use my own phone number! OR Instacart said I can get a new number. I’ve even emailed the previous owner and she never responded.

    Nimitz
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wait, he got someone's old number, people kept calling, and he didn't just change the number himself? He put all this effort into answering calls and texts and cancelling appointments instead of just getting a new number for himself? Why? Does anyone else think this is strangely toxic? Already had a new number, just put in for a different one and maybe not try to ruin things for another person?

    SnootWaggling Fox
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Someone was going to need to deal with this person not changing her number at some point. It also may have taken a bit for the messages to start coming in and may not have been immediately apparent how many and how annoying they would be. You're right though that if this happened immediately the obvious choice was to just get a new number. When I had something like this start happening I'd already had my number for a few years so changing it would have been hard

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    arthbach
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was in agreement with this person, up until they sent a message to the annoying one's boss quitting. To me, that's too far.

    Bookworm
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I agree. You don't mess with someone's financial livelihood. It can make such a mess and take a long time to recover from. What if her employer didn't believe her when she said she hadn't quit?

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    Dave In MD
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Got a new number once and got a call that started off with "Yo, bro. I didn't know you was out". Had to tell them sorry he is probably not out. Try again in 3 to 5 years.

    Sue User
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Years ago i got a new number. Immediatelygot calls from debt collectors. Got the vompany name, then called my State Attorney Generals office. Calls stopped Make your govt work for you.

    Amelia Jade
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I kept getting emails from a school in one of the Dakotas. I forget which one, it was awhile ago. I emailed the school to let them know I live in Nevada and don't have kids at their school. They ignored me. I emailed again and told them that I have full access to the parents account because of my email and they should probably fix the situation. They actually responded and said there was nothing they could do because it was the parents responsibility to update their info. So, my husband spent an afternoon enrolling that family's 20 other kids. Never got another email again. Another time I got confirmation of a rental car at an airport in France. I was able to use my email to change the password and I had all of this person's info. I reached out, told them and nothing. I got a couple more emails about my reservation and upcoming trip. So, I went in and canceled the reservation. They'd have no idea because the cancelation confirmation came to me.

    P Peitsch
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I don't get the e-mail part. Gmail or yahoo or any other provider, where I have/had an e-mail address, don't let you register a username already existing in their database. So, you can't register Iamreallydumb, if there is already one user with that name. You can have Iamreallydumb1 or any other plus character, but in this case Iamreallydumb user won't get your emails. So, at which provider can someone register an already existing e-mail address? And please, don't tell me, that people are dumb enough to just make up an e-mail address,

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    wayne whitson
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I got a NEW phone & NEW number. I HAD TO GET ANOTHER NUMBER IN 72 HOURS. The previous user was apparently a VERY BUSY D**G DEALER.

    Ash
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    ugh I had this problem. A dude named Floyd. He's lucky I'm not a stalker: even without TRYING, I knew everything about him: what kind of jobs he worked, which gas station he stopped at for coffee every morning, how much it cost and whether he used his credit card, the fact that he was looking to buy a new pickup truck... Even now, I occasionally get texts for him. My grandma was really confused the last time I called her landline because the caller ID said some guy named Floyd was calling her.

    Neb
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Well, I seem no longer getting calls for Brian... 8 years after I got his former number.

    dollh h
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    They could have just blocked the numbers. Takes seconds. No drama, no needless conversations. Don't answer, just block.

    SnootWaggling Fox
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Helps for blocking the family members and some businesses, but doesn't help for things like debt collectors using VoIP to call from a new number every time. I'm going on 20 years getting calls from debt collectors for some guy who presumably used to have my number and blocking their numbers hasn't helped a bit.

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    kath morgan
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I am surprised the debt collectors gave up, my friend had this happen and was harassed for years.

    SnootWaggling Fox
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Same. Going on 20 years of debt collectors calling my number

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    Hiram's Friend
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I just tell them that the person who had the number is in prison now.

    Apatheist Account2
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've only had this when I bought my first flat. Used to get calls at 8am on Sunday morning from a guy in China. Took 2 or 3 attempts to convince him that the previous owner was no longer there.

    A Strike
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So. I thought it would be funny to get a number that starts with 420. Oh my god the amount of spam and junk calls I get is insane. I haven’t been able to take my phone off “personal” settings once so I can’t get calls from anyone except the few people on my let through list. The calls start at 6am and go all day. Big regret. :/

    Schmebulock
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Passed up a great opportunity for free entertainment!

    Seedy Vine
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    What if the owner of the old number had a stroke or a debilitating injury, or is going through something serious? I wouldn't want the bad karma of messing with their life via their old phone number. Perhaps a little more compassion? The universe just might've brought the two together for a reason.

    Roberta Surprenant
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Over a dozen years since having my phone, I still get occasional messages for last person to have the number....

    Bookworm
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I had this situation. In mine after a few months the former owner called me and demanded I give everyone calling him his new number. I guess he realized he didn't have everyone's contact info. If he'd asked and not waited months I would have just to be nice. Back then clouds didn't exist to save your info and it was pretty common for contacts to not all transfer. But he waited until after I'd spent months telling people he had a new number and I didn't know it. The calls finally started slowing down. I wasn't going to go through that again for a stranger who started out with "Here's what you need to do....." I told him the only thing I needed to do was nothing. He could update everyone himself. Oddly enough I never got a call for him after this.

    Mike F
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The place I worked at before I retired had a company phone for each driver and each of the 3 of us in the office. Whenever we got new phones (every 3 or so years) many of the drivers would experience the same thing. Kinda to be expected since we had 20 ish drivers and phones, but like the OP, it got ridiculous from time to time.

    Cee Cee
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not the same but annoying and a bit worrying. British Airways must have recorded an employees mobile number wrongly. I had a weekend of texts regarding scheduling, staffing etc. Needless to say no number to call and customer services were useless. Eventually found a number for one of the employee's on LinkedIn but what a hassle and waste of my time.

    SnootWaggling Fox
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Very kind of you to attempt to help them with the situation

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    Black Bottle Entertainment
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I got Calls for a Docter Dianne Seqoia for about 7 years. She was a veterinarian so I would get random calls like "DIANNE! GISMO HAS THE $H!TS AGAIN! PLEASE HELP"

    Artful Penguin
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I used to get texts for someone named Dave. They were all from friends and family. Birthday party videos, pictures, death announcements, general "hey how are you" things... I would always reply that they had the wrong number. This went on for over 2 years. I had a contact in my phone called "Dave wrong numbers" and I would add too it as I got the messages. Then one day I got an emergency alert. His daughter still had the wrong number listed in her phone for her emergency contact, and accidently activated it. I was able to speak to her, explain what had been happening and she got him to send a mass text to all his contacts to be sure they all had the right number. And I never got another misdirected message again!

    Sarah Léon
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My mother was a widow when she met my father, and when they took a home, they used my mother's late husband name for the phone number, I don't know why. It was before I was even conceived. 25 years later, I started uni and every week I received at least 1 call for Michel (my mother's late husband I never met). My father explained to me he never took the time to change the name, so we knew it was spam when they asked for Michel. So every time they asked, I took my saddest voice, whispering "he died". Some excused themselves but most of the callers just hung up without a word. Tough !

    Summer S
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When my parents moved into their current house and got a new phone number, they kept on getting calls from debt collectors. Took a couple years for the calls to stop

    C.O. Shea
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This post made my day!!! 😂🥰😂

    StarCrossedFriday
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Maybe I’m missing something, but if she never confirmed any appointments why would any of them still be valid? Or does not replying equal confirmation?

    Say No to Downvoting
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    SHE thinks they are still valid because she made them previously but OP cancels them without her knowledge so she still rocks up expecting it to be on.

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    Betsy S
    Community Member
    9 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not electronic, but physical. We've lived in our house for 2 yrs now, and I'm still getting mail from the previous tenants. I write RTS on every one, with a note "not at this address" and nothing changes. Month after month I get the same envelopes (I think one of them is from a VISA account, judging by the return address with no company name) and I've started writing a tad more angrily in stages for them to update their files. I hope eventually they will realize that they're not getting their statements and/or VISA will actually CONTACT THEM and ask for an address update to fix their files. I suspect I'll be that skeleton in the coffee shop "waiting for..." before this is over.

    Pixie T
    Community Member
    10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Mine isn't a new number but around 15 years ago my ex friend put myself and her then girlfriend ( Laura) on her mobile plan as it worked out cheaper for all of us. Now my number and Laura's number were quite similar except the last 2 digits. Cue to 7 years ago and I start getting calls for Laura from debt collection agencies, letters in the post, court summons, threatened with bailiffs. I don't know how many times I said wrong number and just when I thought it was all resolved a new collection agency takes over and it starts again. I did a little bit of Facebook stalking and found her address, now if they call I send them to her house. Been a year since I've has any bother 😁

    Elizabeth Deighton
    Community Member
    10 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    My son had an email address and soon started to get messages inc bank details. He manged to contact the person concerned who was horrified when he related bank details. They cancelled it very quickly

    Jan Kovář
    Community Member
    11 months ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This happened to me twice, both cases company numbers. First case was person that must have run lot of shady business in his free time. I received requests if can still manage to deliver a motor for some truck or if I can still get my hands on some crashed car. The previous number owner was working in IT. Second case was kind of game for me. The number must have been given to very large extended family. It was not a big traffic, but I have received very confusing messages like: "Mary has 5 newborns." OMG, quintuplets? Took me a year to find out that Mary is a cat. And every year some family congratulated Veronica to her birthday, I have always politely replied that I am new owner of the number and there is no Veronica here, to receive best wishes next year. My brother-in-law now has a daughter called Veronica, so I always pass her best wishes from someone she does not know and thank for her to people who do not know her either. (Date does not much, but who cares after 12 years.)

    Dave Morris
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    A few years back, friends of mine in Coventry got a number that used to belong to, well lets just say a female who mainly worked at night. The female half of the couple spent a fair few drunken evenings pretending to be that person, making non-existent appointments.. lots of blue balls in the pervs of the town. The story did get in the local papers as well.

    Dekker451
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Or (and I guess this is just a batshit insane idea to some people) just block the offending numbers an emails. FFS, I can't count how many times I've seen people make their lives more difficult by overthinking a problem.

    Anna Drever
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was getting messages that my DVDs or videos, can’t remember which were overdue in Johnsonville NZ and I lived at the other end of the island. We’re talking several hours away. Then it was schools and also relatives. Finally after some years radio silence. Thank goodness.

    Milady Blue
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I got a new phone number, which belonged to some dude with collections on his case. Said collectors went NUTS on me. I kept explaining they had the wrong number. Their supervisor got on the phone, and told me to quit covering for him, because **I** was now on the hook for this dude's debts. I called the non emergency number for the local police, because these collectors were just relentless. I don't know WHAT the cop told them, but that supervisor was really snotty when I called him for the last time and told him that the cops advised me to tell him to take my number off the list.

    Beth Wheeler
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Similar situation when my son wanted to get off his father's bill and get his own plan but Verizon wanted over $400 which he couldn't afford. I added him to my plan which is cheaper than what his part was on his father's bill. He started getting all kinds of calls for a Samantha Perry, mostly bill collectors. He kept telling them they have the wrong number, it's his number. I even called Verizon to see if it was a recycled number & no it was a new number. I'm a medical scheduler and asked my boss to type in his number and her name came up so she deleted the number so he wouldn't start getting calls for her Dr appts. Verizon tracked it down and she had lied and made up a number that legally belongs to me. The calls finally stopped after about 3 years.

    AR
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I sometimes get emails for someone who has a similar name to mine because Gmail is screwing up. It’s mainly from her dentist so I just ignore them because they’re not often.

    H. B. Nielsen
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Some if this I get, but how her boss still had this number after so long is beyond me.

    Emilu
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    ... just ask your provider for a new number. Ain't that hard.

    XYZ
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I had the same probably a decade or more ago. Every month this elderly gentleman would call to talk to ‘Michael’ who I presumed to be his son. Every time I told him gently that it wasn’t Michael phone number anymore. And then he’d call again right after putting the phone down probably assuming that he got a digit wrong. It continued month after month for about two years. I considered blocking him but felt sorry for him and didn’t. One month the second call was from his wife. I told her the same and that the number had been mine for about 2 years by then. That was the last time they called me. I wonder if they ever managed to find Michael.

    SAF saf
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I've had this happen in mail form. Previous home owner refused to update mailing addresses to multiple places. They have knocked asking if we have received the following: -personal letters -multiple insurance checks -(2) large bottles of Maple Syrup -numerous Amazon packages. Mind you these people moved out 3 years ago! What ever doesn't say our name gets given to the mail man. The other issue? I live on the corner in a high traffic area. we're constantly getting mail stolen. I'm pretty sure some kid stole that maple syrup.

    Skadi Lifdis
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Yep. I keep getting calls from debt collectors looking for the guy who used to have my work cell number. 18 months of telling them to remove the number but still getting calls and texts. A couple of months back, I started getting notices of a total loss payout for a car accident. I called the insurance company to tell them this guy isn't associated with this number and they accidentally gave me his email address. I tracked him down, found his website and current number. I emailed him, explaining the situation and how I hoped it was a mistake or something. He was so rude and denied using the number. So next call I got about it, told them it was fraud and to investigate the claim. And I give his new number to the collectors who call.

    Display_Name
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Currently I can’t use my phone number that I’ve had for over a year to work Instacart because the previous owner had an account. Instacart won’t update my phone number even though I’ve shown them my current statement. I have to get consent from the previous owner so I can use my own phone number! OR Instacart said I can get a new number. I’ve even emailed the previous owner and she never responded.

    Nimitz
    Community Member
    1 year ago (edited) Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wait, he got someone's old number, people kept calling, and he didn't just change the number himself? He put all this effort into answering calls and texts and cancelling appointments instead of just getting a new number for himself? Why? Does anyone else think this is strangely toxic? Already had a new number, just put in for a different one and maybe not try to ruin things for another person?

    SnootWaggling Fox
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Someone was going to need to deal with this person not changing her number at some point. It also may have taken a bit for the messages to start coming in and may not have been immediately apparent how many and how annoying they would be. You're right though that if this happened immediately the obvious choice was to just get a new number. When I had something like this start happening I'd already had my number for a few years so changing it would have been hard

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    arthbach
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I was in agreement with this person, up until they sent a message to the annoying one's boss quitting. To me, that's too far.

    Bookworm
    Community Member
    1 year ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I agree. You don't mess with someone's financial livelihood. It can make such a mess and take a long time to recover from. What if her employer didn't believe her when she said she hadn't quit?

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