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I find Googling phone numbers to return nothing but junk sites trying to leach ad revenue off of those queries, with little in the way of actual information. I
by deathanatos 10y ago
I find Googling phone numbers to return nothing but junk sites trying to leach ad revenue off of those queries, with little in the way of actual information.
I just don't answer the call. If I don't know who you are, and you can't be bothered to leave a message … why should I care?
Empirically, half of upstate New York seems to think my number is the one they're looking for. Back before I stopped answering calls, I had to repeatedly tell one unknown number over SMS that this wasn't the number they were looking for. Over SMS. I hope that that number didn't have a smartphone, as my reply of "This isn't the number you're looking for." would quite probably have been right there on the screen as he typed in the next message, again to the wrong number.
I actually have a few of the more common wrong numbers in my contacts list, and some of them still call regularly. (Never leaving a message.)
- godzillabrennus 10y agoI have some local area code 867-5309 numbers and the number of calls I get is insane.
- _asummers 10y agoDid you ask for that number or was it random?
- MBlume 10y ago"numbers", so I'm guessing it wasn't random.
- thaumasiotes 10y agoI very much doubt it's possible to get an 867-5309 without specifically requesting it.
- creeble 10y agoYou have to be over...40? https://www.amazon.com/867-5309-Jenny-Song-That-Saved/dp/1936185555 https://www.amazon.com/867-5309-Jenny-Song-That-Saved/dp/193...
- MBlume 10y agoI know the song, I'm just saying, he has it in multiple area codes, so it can't be random.
- godzillabrennus 10y agoI worked hard to obtain a few. Tried to do a startup around the voicemails people left on the calls but it never took off.
- drzaiusapelord 10y agoHow did you acquire that number? I'd love to own a 867-5309.
- derefr 10y agoFrequently, I'll be told after an appointment (doctor, accountant, etc.) to expect a call from someone, but won't be told what number they'll be calling from. Since whatever information they want to tell me is Confidential™, they won't bother to leave me a voicemail with a single distinguishing detail, either, instead just saying "Please call us back at [number], we have important information to discuss." Which is... exactly the same message the telemarketers leave.
- DrScump 10y agoSome medical providers, such as mental health clinics or reproductive health clinics, always shroud their numbers out of privacy concerns whether required by HIPPA or not.
- histley 10y agoI found that extremely annoying as a patient at Planned Parenthood, I was always sending their calls to voice-mail and then having to call back through their screening service. I still really appreciate that they do it, though, for those it makes a difference to.
- johnm1019 10y agoThis is important for some people in vulnerable situations who don't want someone else to know they're going to a doctor. "Significant others" screening calls and googling the numbers (even w/o answering the phone) could lead to a bad situation.
- cmiles74 10y agoThere must be a better solution, this can't be working well for most of their customers and sounds more the sort of nonfunctional process a lawyer would come up with. I understand that there are people in vulnerable situations, but that is not the norm. Perhaps a check-box on the HIPAA form that indicates they need "confidential voicemail and SMS messages" would be a better solution.
- reitanqild 10y ago> I just don't answer the call. If I don't know who you are, and you can't be bothered to leave a message … why should I care? Just a few months back someone called me on the morning train and told me they had my debit card that I had forgotten in the vending machine. This summer I have tipped of a couple of parents about their kids belongings because I found their phone numbers on the stuff and they didn't block me. In one case it was a rather expensive outdoors jacket forgotten by the sea that they had been searching for to no avail.
- chrisbennet 10y agoNothing keep them from leaving a message...
- reitanqild 10y agoI for one hate leaving messages. Having a friend who recorded and remixed phone conversations back in the days might have added to that ;-)
- easytiger 10y agoHow can someone derive your phone number from your debit card?
- reitanqild 10y agoUsing the name that is printed on the card to look up my name. Around here at least it is common to have cards with names printed on them. Some even have photos and can be used as IDs some places.
- easytiger 10y agoAnd how do they find your phone number from your name?
- reitanqild 10y ago