I just had a bizarre phone call...

[Man On The Clapham Omnibus]

My number is almost the same as the local pub. It has xyy in its number and I have xxy with all other digits being the same as mine. Surprisingly I get few wrong numbers and those that I do get are from people who readily accept that they have dialled incorrectly. The names have been changed to confuse the masses, but essentially it was like this:

 

[ring-ring] Hello?

'Is that the Red Lion?'

'No; you have dialled the wrong number, it's one digit different'

'not The Red Lion in xxx village?'

'No, not the Red Lion anywhere in the world as it happens, it's my home - you need to dial xyy not xxy'

'Oh, has it ever been xyy then?'

'It IS xyy; you dialled xxy!'

'What?'

'You dialled the wrong number - you dialled xxy and the Red Lion is xyy!'

'Oh, I'll try again if you're sure...'

 

The pub changed hands recently and I have a new number since I moved here eleven months ago, so this is possibly the first episode in a saga... 

[Captain Colonial]

Same happened with me years ago, got calls for a Chinese takeaway on the other side of town, sometimes 4-5 per night.  It got so bad that I started taking orders using an awful Chinese accent.  I'd let them ramble on and on with their order, then when they inevitably asked at the end when they could expect to receive it, I'd say "Never!  You dial wong numba, stupid capitalist wunning dog!" and hang up.

 

They went out of business after a while, so my fun stopped.

 

Happy days!

[Man On The Clapham Omnibus]

Great scheme Scott! Except that I don't want the pub to go bust - it's too convenient being only fifteen minutes lurching distance away!

[Captain Colonial]

In that case, just say "No, this is not the Red Lion, this is The White House, President Obama speaking."

[SootySport]

had this in my last house,  my number was 1 digit different to a travel Insurance co.  Often the same person would ring me 3 or 4 times before they got the idea I was not a Travel Insurance co.     I would tell the caller that I'll be leaving my handset off hook for 15 minutes so they know they were still mis dialling, at least that way I was only disturbed once.

[Norman Verona]

We get regular calls from en elderly lady who asks for Martine. We tell her Martine doesn't live here and she has dialed the wrong number. She gets confused but hangs up. A few weeks later she'll ring again.

[blue ass fly]

I had one of those asking for a mr ? every couple of months

Xmas cards to him for years

And then a bill for a burial

[Nick Algar - Competition Secretary]

I had one of those asking for a mr ? every couple of months

Xmas cards to him for years

And then a bill for a burial

 

At least you knew the problem was good and buried by the end

[Captain Colonial]

I had one of those asking for a mr ? every couple of months

Xmas cards to him for years

And then a bill for a burial

 

Probably because the line went dead.

[iain m]

Back in the days when you picked up the phone and asked the operator for the exchange name followed by only 3 digits our number was Wisborough Green 387, a hotel some miles away had Wivelsfield Green 387 which seemed to be popular with last minute one night stands, the calls were always Friday and Saturday evening about 9 pm always in a hushed voice wanting a double bedded room. After a couple of years they stopped and we were quire disappointed    

[Tim Reid]

A local car dealership (Subaru) put my home number on their website... I was amazed at the amount of effort it took me to get them to change it... even when I asked if they were concerned about loosing sales!

 

My number is 1 digit different 7 not 9 from the local vets... I am suprised we don't get more calls but most of the amimals survived their stay with me!                  

[pistonbroke 2]

Its a long distance from Chicago.

 

It certainly is Stanley.       

[Paul Morcom]

Same happened with me years ago, got calls for a Chinese takeaway on the other side of town, sometimes 4-5 per night.  It got so bad that I started taking orders using an awful Chinese accent.  I'd let them ramble on and on with their order, then when they inevitably asked at the end when they could expect to receive it, I'd say "Never!  You dial wong numba, stupid capitalist wunning dog!" and hang up.

 

They went out of business after a while, so my fun stopped.

 

Happy days!

 

I was a silent partner in that Chinese Takeaway business and having read your post I feel that you materially contributed to the decline in sales and resultant losses sustained by a "previously" very profitable business. Impersonating my business is a serious criminal act - We know where you live so expect a letter from my solicitor or visit from the local triad !!!!

[pickmaster Andy Lowe]

I had a estate agent in Cheshire put my 0800 number on his yellow pages ad a few years ago !!!!!!

Rang him to tell him and he was really unpleasant with me, as if it was my fault he had signed the ad proofs off with my number on them

Took him to small claims court to recoup all mobile diverts in the end

Still getting calls 3 years later, then they don't believe me and ring back !!!!!!!

[SteveH]

My home number is not dissimilar to a local place that sells 2CV spares, I really should get a credit card machine and just agree to take the orders