The return of Billy Don't Lose My Number

[PepperElf]

I turned my cell off for almost half a year, mainly cos I just wasn't using it much, and because I just didn't feel like buying minutes for it. The contract was still good though and wasn't set to expire until 2017 I think. Or later... That's one thing I never worry about with that phone is running out of contract time. Airtime, sure, but contract time? Never.

Anyway a few days after I turned it back on and put some more minutes onto it (yay double minutes) I got a call for Billy.


Now my Billy calls don't normally annoy me. I like Billy cos the former LEO (I think he's retired) paid his bills. So mostly the calls were from people trying to get back in touch with him, or various businesses calling to see if he wanted more service.

However I think Mrs. Ex-Billy ... I think she lives in the back of my apartment complex actually ... looks like she's been running into some bill-paying issues.

Last summer I got a call or two looking for her. Those of course stopped when I let the battery die out over the winter. But the last call I received kinda pissed me off a little.


It's been a couple of weeks since the call but here's how it went mostly.

Caller: <looking for Lynn>
Me: <wrong number sorry>
Caller: Is this a business phone or a personal phone.
Me: It doesn't matter it's the wrong number.
<Rinse repeat>
Caller: <finally mentions billy>
Me: Ah... No I've never met them. Thank you and have a good day. <talking over the caller>


I can only assume this was a collection agency and that asking if it was a personal line or a business line was part of the script to see what they could discuss.

Except I'm a bitch. I learned from my mistakes with a former shipmate. Her now-ex husband went on a witch-hunt rampage against her, breaking into her cell account while overseas to track down everyone she called. When he called me I automatically responded to the intimidating voice, asking me who I was... It was later when she told me what he'd done that I realized who'd grilled me.

And from then on I became a bitch about giving any information to a stranger.
Stranger calls me and demands to know who I am? Fuck them, I ain't telling them shit. Other than asking them who wants to know...

Apparently cold-callers or collections agents don't like that. But I don't care. It's part of my common opsec (or rather persec) now.


At least the caller has not bothered me since.

[EricKei]

For collections people, just tell them that it's a wrong number (which I guarantee you they will disregard/disbelieve anyway) AND specifically that it's a cell phone and a work number. Collectors in the US canNOT knowingly call people via cell or work numbers -- it's a Federal violation. While yer at it, tell them to contact "whoever they're looking for" by snailmail (if they're legit, they'll have an address). Asking them to stop calling for any one of those reasons requires them to do so. Of course, if it doesn't work, they're fraudulent anyway and there's not much you can do.

[TheSHAD0W]

Also, if you have the time, the longer you keep them on the phone the less they like it. It messes up their metrics. Just be polite and play dumb, since usually they aren't allowed to hang up unless you're cursing at them.

[PepperElf]

that would be keen... if i wasn't on a tracfone. i pay per minute.

[KatherineB]

that would be keen... if i wasn't on a tracfone. i pay per minute.

I'm not sure what a tracfone is, but since they called you, won't they be the ones paying for it?

[Kheldarson]

Tracfone is a pay as you go phone. And I believe incoming calls might count on the minutes you pay for. Don't know though.

[dendawg]

I believe incoming calls might count on the minutes you pay for. Don't know though.

Calls both ways count against the minutes you prepaid for. At least for tracfones.

[PepperElf]

yeppers. granted i have double minutes on it (if i buy an half-hour card, I get one hour instead) but i do try to be frugal with it. that's why most times i try to use my skype & google voice as much as possible. but still the cell does come in handy

so yeah i can't stick around and argue over trying to find someone i don't know. i mean sure i know she lives in the back somewhere but i ain't gonna bother her with this crap.

[taxguykarl]

Tracfone is a pay as you go phone. And I believe incoming calls might count on the minutes you pay for. Don't know though.

They do...or at least did 'til Mrs. TGK added me to her Verizon plan.

[ComputerNecromancer]

I'm not sure what a tracfone is, but since they called you, won't they be the ones paying for it?

Nope. In the US, calls on cell phones are charged by the minuted to the cell phone owner *regardless* of whether they made the call or received the call. And yes, that means that if you call another cell phone user, *both* of you get charged.

Fortunately, most cell phones have a certain number of "free" minutes that come as part of the monthly service.

Tracphones being a pay-as-you-go phone, don't have "free" minutes. You pay X dollars and get Y minutes of calling.

Personally, I think that the law ought to require that anybody calling a cell phone for any of the reasons you can't block (surveys, political campaigning, and a few others) ought to be required to pay for the call and have it not cost the cell phone owner anything.

[PepperElf]

heh. that's why i have my phone set up to block unlisted numbers. it kills some of those calls at least.

[KatherineB]

Learn something new every day! Thanks, all!

[PepperElf]

Yeah it's under settings --> call --> call reject

i can pick from all calls, contacts, groups (then specify which group), unregistered, or no caller ID. i have it on "no caller ID" for mine.

[Gaki]

My reactions to wrong numbers on my cell phone are nearly always the same.

Me: Hello?
Caller: WHO IS THIS?!?!!?!?
Me: You called me. You should know.

The responses are varied but I don't say anything else. I just hang up.

[PepperElf]

I had 2 more calls yesterday.

the first was a recording ... at first i thought it was the credit card service scam (they called me a couple of days ago - i hung up on them) but then it went on about being from a bank/mortgage company and asking me if I was Billy <lastname> and to press 1 if I was, 2 for something else, and 3 for "not me". Then it asked if it was a wrong number etc and i pressed the corresponding button for "wrong number"

hopefully that'll take one caller off the list. odd though that it's a mortgage company. if it's the same people calling to get ahold of mrs billy, i thought she lived here in an apartment complex. i won't bother trying to find out though. their financial status is their own business.

still at least it's not many calls.

oh the other call... i guess i missed it. dunno why though. unless i had my headphones on. almost missed the first one cos of that