Caller claiming I have their number

daywalker

Hi,

I have received a couple of voicemails today by someone claiming that I have their phone or number and that they want it back.

The phone is mine as is the number both were bought new in an O2 store so can't see where the caller is coming from, I haven't answered the calls as I didn't have my phone with me at the time, is there anything that i could do should i answer this person the next time they ring?

thanks for any advice,
daywalker

Random

It's possible that there's been a mistake along the line between SIM replacements / new phones / exchanges / swaps etc.

Ring your network and report this to them. If for no other reason than to notify them that someone may be trying to steal your number.

If you've only just bought the SIM / number / phonepack then ask your network if they will issue you another number.

LeotheLion

is there anything that i could do should i answer this person the next time they ring?


Well you could press the answer key for starters,and explain to them that you got it from 02 etc,ask them what drugs are they taking and could they share some with you,

Do you really need to post such a ridiculous question?

Our man in Havana

I had that a few years ago. Some numb skull allowed his number to go dead and it was reassigned to me. He rang me a few times bitching about it. He eventually fecked off.

The Sparrow

LeotheLion wrote: »

is there anything that i could do should i answer this person the next time they ring?


Well you could press the answer key for starters,and explain to them that you got it from 02 etc,ask them what drugs are they taking and could they share some with you,

Do you really need to post such a ridiculous question?

Doesn't seem like a ridiculous question to me. And if you read the OPs post you would see that he wasn't near his phone when this person rang so he couldn't answer.

Do you really need to post such a ridiculous post?

OP I would give 02 a ring and explain what happened and ask them to have a look into the history of the number.

daywalker

LeotheLion wrote: »

Well you could press the answer key for starters,and explain to them that you got it from 02 etc,ask them what drugs are they taking and could they share some with you,

Do you really need to post such a ridiculous question?

I wouldn't have done so if I didn't feel it was relevant, can't a person simply ask for some advice without getting shot down?

@Random, thanks for the advice.

LeotheLion

daywalker wrote: »

Hi,

I have received a couple of voicemails today by someone claiming that I have their phone or number and that they want it back.

The phone is mine as is the number both were bought new in an O2 store so can't see where the caller is coming from, I haven't answered the calls as I didn't have my phone with me at the time, is there anything that i could do should i answer this person the next time they ring?

thanks for any advice,
daywalker

The Sparrow wrote: »

Doesn't seem like a ridiculous question to me. And if you read the OPs post you would see that he wasn't near his phone when this person rang so he couldn't answer.

Do you really need to post such a ridiculous post?

OP I would give 02 a ring and explain what happened and ask them to have a look into the history of the number.

Hi sparrow I know you have a little bird brain,but anyone with a bit of cop on would notice he wrote he didnt have it near him as he has a phobia of unknown callers/strange drugged up sparrows calling him claiming that he has their number..

Random

LeotheLion wrote: »

is there anything that i could do should i answer this person the next time they ring?


Well you could press the answer key for starters,and explain to them that you got it from 02 etc,ask them what drugs are they taking and could they share some with you,

Do you really need to post such a ridiculous question?

LeotheLion wrote: »

Hi sparrow I know you have a little bird brain,but anyone with a bit of cop on would notice he wrote he didnt have it near him as he has a phobia of unknown callers/strange drugged up sparrows calling him claiming that he has their number..

You can take a week off for that. If you have any issues feel free to PM me.

Let's get back on topic lads. Thanks

Davy

The handiest way to get this to stop is to explain to the person who is ringing you, or they will keep ringing you. Tell them you bought it from a o2 shop and you have the receipt to prove it. You can tell them that they must have not been using the phone for at least 6 months so it was sent out again.

jordainius

Davy wrote: »

The handiest way to get this to stop is to explain to the person who is ringing you, or they will keep ringing you. Tell them you bought it from a o2 shop and you have the receipt to prove it. You can tell them that they must have not been using the phone for at least 6 months so it was sent out again.

More like 18 months I think!

I would consider it nuisance calling myself so maybe tell the person that if they don't stop calling that you'' be contacting thr gardaí.

Dabko

Had same scenario a few years back, some dublin junkie calling our companies new number giving dogs abuse about us havin ripped off his number.

I kindly asked him when the last time was he used the number and his answer was fukin priceless "Jaaaysus, can a man not do time without gettin out and his phone number bleedin stolen"
I lost control of my bodily functions that day!

yeah, mobile phone co's re-assign numbers that have being dormant for X amount of time.
Heard a good one about a girl who's sister had died and for months afterwards, the living sister would dial her mobile number so as to hear the voice mail of her dead sister. Imagine the shock she got when the phone got answered one day:eek:

who is this

It's bound to happen with ComReg's policy of only allocating blocks of numbers as they are absolutely needed.

I mean each prefix has 10 million possible numbers! What's the harm in going through every one of them before recycling? When they did have to be recycled starting with the oldest, they'd probably be so old, the previous owner wouldn't even remember what the number was!

Rsaeire

who is this wrote: »

It's bound to happen with ComReg's policy of only allocating blocks of numbers as they are absolutely needed.

I mean each prefix has 10 million possible numbers! What's the harm in going through every one of them before recycling? When they did have to be recycled starting with the oldest, they'd probably be so old, the previous owner wouldn't even remember what the number was!

I'm sure the networks would prefer to have at least an extension on the amount of time before a number is recycled, therefore saving time explaining the situation to people via customer care, but they still earn money from people who have to buy a new number when their previous number is recycled.

daywalker

Just to say got it all sorted with the caller, their phone had been stolen in 2006 and they lost all their contacts and info, they must have been calling the phone all the time to try and get in contact with whoever might have their phone now.

Told them of buying the phone & number new and of O2's policy with reusing numbers left unused after a period of 12-18 months.

Thanks for all the helpful replies and advice, (except for LeotheLion's, I think he was just looking to get site-banned :P)

Our man in Havana

Glad you got sorted out ok.

GerardKeating

Rsaeire wrote: »

I'm sure the networks would prefer to have at least an extension on the amount of time before a number is recycled, therefore saving time explaining the situation to people via customer care, but they still earn money from people who have to buy a new number when their previous number is recycled.

I thought part of the reason for the time limit and the number recycling was to stop the network inflating there user account with dead numbers.

Abelloid

daywalker wrote: »

Just to say got it all sorted with the caller, their phone had been stolen in 2006 and they lost all their contacts and info, they must have been calling the phone all the time to try and get in contact with whoever might have their phone now.

Told them of buying the phone & number new and of O2's policy with reusing numbers left unused after a period of 12-18 months.

Thanks for all the helpful replies and advice, (except for LeotheLion's, I think he was just looking to get site-banned :P)

Seriously? Some people need to learn to move on - at least this individual can now get on with his or her life.

Rsaeire

GerardKeating wrote: »

I thought part of the reason for the time limit and the number recycling was to stop the network inflating there user account with dead numbers.

It might be just that. I guess we'll only find out if someone in the know fills us in on the real reason(s) why number recycling is needed, besides the marketing bull we hear from ComReg.