Help with strange phone calls

[GoldLeaf]

Folks,

I am hoping that someone here may be able to help shed some light on some strange calls I have been getting lately. At very odd hours, I get calls to my cell phone from a six digit phone number: 310-007. It sounds like the person doesn't know they have connected to my voice mail, because the message is very muffled. It is like the phone is in their pocket, and I can hear the dinging of their car, or the TV, or a conversation. I don't recognize the muffled voices as anyone I know.

The calls are very frustrating because I get them between 1 and 5 am. Luckily, I am a sound sleeper and my cell is usually in a different room, so it doesn't bother me too much, but they do wake me up. I never get to the phone in time to answer it. However, even if I did, I doubt they would hear me yelling (so they can hear me, not becaus I am mad) at them to please stop calling me. If they can't hear the message on my voicemail telling them to leave me a message, then I doubt they would hear me yelling at them.

And because the number is a 6 digit number, I can't call it back and ask them to please remove my number from their speed dial, if that is the case. I really don't understand this situation at all.

And members of the lounge have any idea what on earth may be going on? I would be happy to call and politely ask them to stop if I could figure this out. Unfortunatly, because these calls started in my current billing cycle, Verizon can't look up the calls to see if my phone is just displaying the number incorrectly.

Thanks guys, for taking time to read this

 

[Zemke Fan]

Have you...

... called your cell phone provider? Seems as if they ought to be able to trace this for you. Also, at least with Verizon, I get complete call records so they should be able to do a trace through their computers (I presume).

 

[Harp]

A series of repeat late-night calling is indeed strange.
If you believe this to be otherwise unintentional and merely bothersome,
contact Verizon for an alternate number.

 

[MK]

.

Turn off the phone at night.

 

[Barry]

Does Caller-ID remove/strip the country and zone codes of international phone calls? If so, that might explain the odd hours of the phone calls and the six digit number.

 

[Story]

Most likely: The early morning hours and six digit number sounds like an international call with the country code being cut off. For instance, it matches the fax number for the University of Debrecen in Hungary.
http://pecs.americancorner.hu/htmls/study_in_the_usa.html
What does your service provider's online record of your incoming call activity say?
Suggested immediate action: turn ringer to SILENT mode at bedtime, ignore future calls.

Most dangerous: haunted cell phone, calls coming from another dimension or plane of existence. Immediate action: Consult local Parish priest (or shaman) for exorcism under the next full moon.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Exactly the explanation I was thinking of,...someone, somewhere in the world put a number in their cell phone wrong and sometimes when they sit down it pushes the call button. [huh]

 

[Quigley Brown]

It could be James Bond calling trapped inside the trunk of a moving car!lol

 

[Rosie]

The same thing is happening to my mom on her house phone. Since there are only 7 digits, we assumed the number was from within the area code. I believe her number is 710-xxxx. We just thought someone was accidently calling her also.

 

[GoldLeaf]

We called verizon, and they can't look up any information about incomming calls that have occured during the current billing cycle. We have to wait until the next billing cycle for them to get any information about the originating number.

I would turn my phone off (I often forget and leave it on vibrate) except that it is my only phone, we don't have a typical land line. I probably worry without reason, but my mom has a history with heart related illnesses, and I am afraid of not being reachable. She usually waits until morning to call me if she had to go into the hospital in the night, but I would kick myself if I wasn't available when she needed me.

One other odd thing about the number is that recently, I got a text message from an international number in error, and the entire thing was displayed. Also, the voice sounds to be speaking English, so I don't know about a foreign number.

Another option is that my hubby's cell was stolen a couple of years ago, and of course my phone number was on speed dial. If someone didn't clear the number out of the phone, that could be the culprit. However, that phone was a flip phone, so I don't know how it could be dialing me. This must be someone that I know somehow. So odd.

Anyway, thanks for thinking about it. I just wondered if there was some obvious answer that was staring me in the face that I couldn't see. I may just have to let my mom know to call my hubby's cell phone at night if she needs me

 

[BegintheBeguine]

It's nice to be needed, and I know what you mean about having your phone always on if your mom calls. My dad had a flip phone I got for him and his pocket was still able to dial me while he was at the ballgame! lol When my hubby calls me from a certain pay telephone in Iraq an entire telephone number is displayed but when he calls from a different phone there it is a 5 digit number. So it depends on the phone the person in another country is calling from. It's weird that Verizon says they can't access a current account; I've gotten that from Cingular also, but then hubby called and persuaded them they could and lo and behold they gave him some current information. Good luck with this matter, it's a puzzler.

 

[Rooster]

It could be James Bond calling trapped inside the trunk of a moving car!lol

My thoughts exactly. The fact that Verizon can't tell you who it was 'till next billing cycle confirms this theory......

 

[Miss Neecerie]

No help on -who- it is....

But could you change your mom's numbers to a different ringtone...?

That way you could learn what tone you need to wake up with....and maybe learn to sleep through the random calls?

Would at least help the sleep if that would work for you.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

This is so weird! Strange late-night calls have always freaked me out.

I can't be of any help other than saying that when my in-laws call from England the whole number is displayed with the country code and all. No matter what phone they call from. This happened when I was on Verizon and now on Cingular, too.

 

[berrybuzz]

If it was someone international, I feel sorry for their upcoming phone bill.

ouch!

 

[Caledonia]

Exactly. Big bill coming up!

Husband is forever sitting on his phone by mistake and calling home without knowing it. I can hear exactly what you describe. Muffled noises, some speaking, some radio, car engine, walking noises. It doesn't help to shout really loudly down the phone. Gets you nowhere unless he also sat on the loudspeaker button! Turn the phone off for a wee while or just ignore it till they realise. Their bill is their problem.

Or.... Get used to interpreting the muffled voices till you can understand what they're saying, and with a bit of luck it will be somebody famous or otherwise interesting, and you get free entertainment. Obviously without dishing the dirt, 'cos that would not be honourable!

 

[Brian Sheridan]

Please keep us all posted on this - it would be interesting to hear what Verizon has to say. I hope the company just doesn't shrug its collective shoulders and says "don't know how that's happening." Can you hear me now, indeed.

 

[Amy Jeanne]

Yes, please do keep us posted! Things like this always intrigue me!

 

[GoldLeaf]

Thanks, guys. I am glad that I am not just completely missing something obvious. For now, I think I will put the phone on vibrate, and let my mom know to phone the hubby late at night, for emergencies

And it has been interesting to hear from Caledonia and Begin that maybe it isn't as hard as I would imagine to accidentally call someone!

I will let you know if I get anymore info about this strange incident, so that if you ever encounter it, you will know what to do. I just hope it isn't the mothership, coming to take me home! I have grown quite fond of this planet lol

 

[Big Man]

... We called verizon, and they can't look up any information about incomming calls that have occured during the current billing cycle ...

This is pure "B.S." from the phone company. Tell them you are receiving harassing phone calls, and that if they "can't" give you the information then you will be looking for a new service provider. After that, you should get the information you need.