They Had Been Stuck Answering A Company’s Misrouted Calls, Yet A Bad Review From A Frustrated Customer Suddenly Made The Number Valuable
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Wrong numbers usually end with a quick apology, but some callers refuse to let reality interrupt their complaint.
How many explanations does it take to convince someone that a private residence is not a security company?
Even after two hang-ups and a second caller joining the dispute, the accidental receptionist could not escape the confusion.
Then the mistake became obvious.
If only we had the internet…
I don’t work here Phone call
This story takes place about 15 years ago. My ex and I lived in Phoenix, AZ, and we still had a landline phone. We also had cell phones.
One day, the landline phone rang, and I answered it, “Hello.”
Some guy just starts in on how his home security system wasn’t working, and he needed help to fix it. I’m like, “What are you talking about?”
The caller didn’t listen the first time.
He is like, “Isn’t this XYZ Security System?”
I responded, “No, this is a private residence.”
He then continues on about his security system problem and wants someone to fix it.
I can tell that he doesn’t understand that I am not XYZ Security System, so I just hang up.
Of course, he called back, and I answered the phone.
He asked why I hung up on him, and I explained to him again that he had reached a private residence and I was unable to help him with his security system issues.
Eventually, the caller had his friend call.
Do you think he listened? NO! He goes into his spiel about his system not working.
So, for a second time, I hang up again. About 5 minutes later, the phone rang and I answered it. It was a different guy, but he was a friend of Guy #1.
He asked me why I hung up on his friend when his friend was just trying to get assistance with his security system, and why I was rude to him?
I explained to him that I was just a resident answering my personal phone at my residence, that I did not know this XYZ Security System company, and that I couldn’t help them.
He told me that the phone number he called is the number given for XYZ Security System online.
She explained the issue and then did some research.
I told him it must be a mistake because I am clearly not this business and am unable to help him or his friend, and to please stop calling me.
He apologized and then hung up.
I was curious and searched on Google, typing in my telephone number. Sure, enough it showed that my number was associated with XYZ Security System. Google had the number listed for them as (602) XXX-XXXX which was my number.
I went to the company website, and it lists their number as (623) XXX-XXXX. The same number but with a different area code. 602 and 623 are both area codes for the Phoenix area.
As it turns out, they left a bad review on Google.
While I looked on Google for this company, I found a review that had been left only 5 minutes before.
The person (Guy #1) left a review for the company stating how they were rude, unwilling to help him, and then hung up on him.
I thought it was hilarious.
A day or two later, I received a call from XYZ Security System company asking if we would be willing to sell them our telephone number. They ended up paying us $300 or $500 for us to let them have our number, and we got a new one.
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Wow! For once, the company was innocent.
Let’s see what the people over at Reddit have to say about this story.
The company could’ve saved hundreds with this info.
This reader had a drunk woman who used to call.
Now, this must’ve been confusing.
If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a homeowner who doesn’t think their painters should use their water spigot on the job.
That’s a long way to go for a repo.
A mistyped area code sent angry security customers to this homeowner, including one who posted a furious review after being repeatedly disconnected.
Once the actual company discovered Google’s error, it paid the homeowner hundreds for the number and finally inherited its thoroughly confused customers.
They didn’t work there, but the severance package was excellent.
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