You've dialed the wrong number..

[The Angel of Missouri]

Hi, BTW.. I'm new. Enjoy!

Okay, I work at a telecom consulting company. We have a 1-800 number that is very similar to an 866 number for Medicare.

Can you see where this is going?

At least 3, 4 times a day, I get a call from some cracked out mom or aunt wanting to know who their primary care physician is.. I calmly explain that they dialed wrong, BUT not to fear; everyone does it. They need to dial 866 instead of 800 and they will get the right number.

Simple enough?

I get some of the most irate, pissed off crazies that have ever been claiming that they did dial correct. Here's one of my favorite convos:

ME: Thanks you for calling (NOT MEDICARE).
SC: (after screaming at her kids to get off the table) Is this Medicare?
Me: No, ma'am. You've dialed incorr...
SC: MEDICARE HAS BEEN GIVING ME THE RUN AROUND AND I AM TIRED OF IT!
Me: Uh...I'm sorry ma'am but this isn't Medica...
SC: BITCH, DON'T GIVE ME A BUNCH OF "I'm sorry-s"! MY BABY GIRL IS SICK AND I'M TIRED OF YOU PEOPLE THINKIN YOUR BETTER THAN ME!
Me: Ma'am! YOU GOT THE WRONG NUMBER!
SC: This isn't Medicare?
Me: No..! You dialed the wrong number! (( At this point I'm wondering why I didn't just hang up on her..))
SC: Oh.. This is the number I got tho..
Me: THIS is 800. NOT 866.
SC: Oh.. >click<

No, "Sorry, I called you a name".. No, nothing. Something like this happens to someone in my office at least once a week. I know people are upset but can you make sure that you have the right NUMBER before you blow up?? We're people too!

[HawaiianShirts]

Welcome to the forum!

Wrong numbers? Been there. Many times.

I always enjoyed (afterward) the callers who would not realize it was a wrong number and go through nearly the entire script before questioning my questions. One guy called in on the Free-Information-About-BowFlex line. I went through the script, collecting his phone number, name, and mailing address. I even asked if he wanted his informational video on DVD or VHS, which he answered. Then when I asked if he would like to provide his email address to get additional information that way...
SC: Sure. It's bobsemail@... *sigh* Y'know, I don't know why you need all this from me. All I want to know is what room my daughter is in.
Me: I'm sorry?
SC: My daughter! She just got out of surgery, and I'm on my way to see her. What room is she in?

Of course he blew up at me when I tried to explain that he had the wrong number, that I was not the hospital in his home town. He called me a liar and demanded that I transfer him to the nurse's station. Then he claimed that I should have mentioned earlier that I wasn't with the hospital, which was just a bid to look less stupid because the script had me saying "BowFlex" four times before asking for his mailing address.

Just when you think they can't get any more stupid...

[MadMike]

When I ordered phone service for my first apartment, they gave me a number that was one digit off from the local rape crisis center. I won't even get into some of the freaked-out calls I used to get.

[myswtghst]

We get those kinds of calls all the time. We're one of those call centers that has a few different incoming numbers, so we get all kinds of random calls. Apparently one of our numbers is 1 number off of the number for XM Radio support, and another is very close to one for some type of health insurance. We've also had other companies mistakenly give out our number instead of their own, and had to spend the next month "politely informing" people that they had been given the wrong number.

Also, when we call out, it shows up on caller ID as a generic dial-out number, and does not give our extensions. When someone dials that generic number, it puts them into the call center in general, so they will reach any open agent, not specifically the person who called them. People have a hard time understanding that, for some reason.

[Chanlin]

I get this every day, except just in the reverse. I work for a prepay cellular service and its insane the number of people who can't keep their number straight.

Typical dialogue goes something to the tune of.

SC: My number is xxx-xxxx

Me: And what's the area code please?

SC: xxx

Me: Ok, are you sure that number xxx-xxx-xxxx is correct? I ask because that number you gave me is not bringing up an account in our system.

SC: *insert response here* which usually is, "maybe you typed it in wrong"

Me: *I just read it back to you* Again it's xxx-xxx-xxxx

SC: Yeah thats right.

Me: Ok, if that is correct then it could be possible your service is not with Brand Cellular.

SC: Well i'm 100% sure I have Brand Cellular, thats what I've been buying for *insert length of time here*

Me: Ok, well I'll put it differently then. If you are 100% sure its Brand Cellular then xxx-xxx-xxxx is not the right number. However if you are 100% sure that this is indeed the correct number then you do not have Brand Cellular service.

*Insert variable length of arguing back and forth here*

This usually results in the SC hanging up, or realizing they are wrong and then continuing on as if they werent being a complete a***hole a moment ago.


I mean come on, i'm not telling you its wrong to be funny. I'm telling you it's wrong because the computer is not taking it. Get a clue people. Of course if every SC got a clue then we would be out of jobs.

[Sofar]

There is a catering service that has pretty much the same name as my burger joint. Just take the "burger" of the end and replace it with "catering." And usually when we answer the telephone we leave the "burger" off the end of our name. So we get a lot of calls for them. It's extremely difficult to convince these calls that we are anything other than a catering service. And then they get irate when I can't give them the number they to which they meant to connect.

[nick1091]

At the leasing company I worked for, we had an 800 number which ended in LEASE. More than once the receptionists fielded callers hoping for 800-__TEASE, which apparently provided a different service altogether.

[RobertM]

Have you ever noticed wrong numbers are never engaged!!!!

[Cthulhu]

We get wrong number calls all of the time at work. We have about 5-6 numbers that are ALL apparently close to other numbers.

I have gotten calls for a B&B in Seattle Washington (I am in Mass), I have gotten calls for a Gas and Electric company (the most common), I have gotten calls for the cab company, and I have gotten calls for a car parts company.

I guess answering the phone "Good afternoon, [my company]m this is Cthulhu speaking, how can I help you?" is not enough of a clue that we are NOT what they are looking for, as they usually just blather on about what they want.

I chalk it up to either selective hearing (they dont hear what we actually say, since we are so far below them), shock and awe that they are speaking to a real person, or stupidity.

/sigh.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Ugh, we always had people who didn't know what phone number they gave us when they ordered their book. Or we get married women who give their maiden name or vice versa. And then when they pick it up and we can't find it, we're looking up 3 different numbers to find them.

Apparently my home phone number is similar to a local doctor's office's. Back when my grandmother was living with us, it was not unusual to get calls from doctor's offices. I answered the phone one evening and heard what I thought was "This is Dr. Soandso's office." So I said "Yes?" When the guy started asking about test results or something, I realized that what he had said was "IS this Dr. Soandso's office." So I said "I'm sorry, you have the wrong number." He called me a jackass and hung up on me.

[Drakstern]

I answered the phone one evening and heard what I thought was "This is Dr. Soandso's office." So I said "Yes?" When the guy started asking about test results or something, I realized that what he had said was "IS this Dr. Soandso's office." So I said "I'm sorry, you have the wrong number." He called me a jackass and hung up on me.

Because you're clearly the one at fault in this exchange... I mean, really...

Wait, ow ow... sidewaysing brain cells at that comment...

[myswtghst]

I totally forgot this when I first posted! I got a call a week or two ago from a kid (boy sounded like he was probably 12 or under) who was all excited because he said he won some contest. I felt really bad when I had to explain to him that he had the wrong number, because he had reached *mycompany* and not a radio station.

Oh, also, for some reason, I keep getting calls on my cell (2-3 a week) from Maryland. I let them go to my VM three times before I gave in and picked up and told them they had a wrong number, and they still keep calling. I think they also tried from another number, because I got a call the other day from a Day Care in the same city. Reverse phone number search is fun.

And by the by, this is particularly odd since I have a cell with a Chicago area #. I also occasionally get wrong number calls for tech support, who don't believe me when I say they've reached a personal cell phone.

[iradney]

At one point, there was a guy who kept calling my cell, and didn't believe me when I told him he had a wrong number. Dude! I've had this number for 8 years! TRUST ME.
So, I started having fun with him - I'd answer, and leave the call going till he hung up. The one time he was on for 5 minutes before he hung up. I haven't heard from him for a couple months

[Jules Of All Trades]

For a long time we kept getting calls at home from a new Panera in town for one of their employees. Apparently Brian was habitually late for work or didn't show up at all. We would answer with the standard "Hello.." and before we could get a word in edgewise we would hear "Hi-this-is-Supervisor-from-Panera-bread-Brian-was-supposed-to-work-today-at-6-but-it's-6:15-and-he-hasn't-shown-up-yet-this-is-the-4th-time-he's-been-late-in-the-last-two-weeks-and-if-it-doesn't-stop-soon-we're-going-to-write-him-up." I thought for sure she would pass out from lack of oxygen after that spiel.

Eventually I was able to convince them that Brian didn't leave here, and no, I didn't know his number...*sigh*.

[Fera Festiva]

At Crappy Knockoff Fake Mexican Furniture, we had a phone number one digit away from the local Debenhams (for those not in the UK, that's a big department store that sells clothes, homeware etc). I lost count of the number of conversations I had that went like this:

Me: Hello, Crappy Knockoff Fake Mexican Furniture.
SC: Can you put me through to customer accounts?
Me: I'm sorry, we don't have a customer accounts department. Are you sure you have the right number?
SC: Of course. I just need you to put me through to customer accounts.
Me: I'm sorry, this is Crappy Knockoff Fake Mexican Furniture - we're a tiny shop in Brighton. Did you want Debenhams?
SC: *Big sigh* Of course I want Debenhams. I want customer accounts. Can't you put me through?
Me: No. This isn't Debenhams. We're a small independent business. I can give you their number -
SC: Can't you just put me through?

Ad nauseum.

Recently I keep getting mobile phone calls for some guy called Tim. I've taken to asking people who call for this Tim dude, if they do manage to get hold of him, could they tell him to stop giving out my number? Then they're like, "So how do you know Tim?"