Wrong number, what would you do?
By firecracker
@sacmom (14192)
United States
May 31, 2007 3:08pm CST
So I turned my cell phone on today, and there was a message. Listening to it, the lady says she's interested in renting the house up for rent, which shocks me at first because I rent the house I live in making me think maybe my landlord isn't happy with us here after all, even though my husband and I have lived here for well over 11 years. :P My landlord and I have similar phone HOME phone numbers making me forget for just a moment that this woman actually called my cell phone which is NOT similar to my land line #. Boy that made me feel better. LOL But what about this woman that was calling about the house for rent? She sounded so interested it. Well, I decided to call her back to let her know that the number she called was the wrong number. She wanted to make sure so while we were on the phone she looked for the ad and saw for herself that she did indeed switch a couple of the numbers, thus calling me instead of the right number. She sounded a little embarrassed and apologized, but I told her I felt I should let her know, that way wouldn't think she missed out on the home she's interested in renting and now she may still get a chance to rent it. She thanked me and we said good-bye.
If someone left a message on your phone, but it happened they called the wrong number, would you call them back to let them know? Or would you just ignore it and let them think your phone number was the correct one they called? Please share your thoughts.
5 people like this
14 responses
@KissThis (3003)
• United States
1 Jun 07
I no longer do answering machines or voice mail. Either people are able to locate an actual person home or they will have to call back. Before I done away with everything we would come home to messages left for someone else. If it sounded important then I would call the person back to let them know that they had called the wrong number. Calls that sounded like they were made from friends I didn't worry to much about. If the situation sounds serious then I call to let them know that they called a wrong number. I wouldn't want them to think that their friend was blowing them off.
1 person likes this
@samtaylorskykierajen (7977)
• Canada
3 Jun 07
I probably would have called back as well as I wouldn't have wanted her to miss out on an opportunity that may have been something she was so hoping to get . I know different times when we went to rent a place that we wanted it so bad and couldn't wait to get the call to tell us if we had it or not and would know how important that would be to someone and how you are anxious waiting for the call .
@dragonokiefly (862)
• United States
31 May 07
I have called a few people back because they left messages on my voicemail that sounds very important and let them know they had the wrong number. I have also called businesses back to let them know the people they are trying to reach do not live at this number. There have been a few times that it was some teenager caling for someone else and they have left very rude messages or cursed a lot and I just deleted those and didn't give them a second thought. Lucky for me that I have to call my number to get my messages, they didn't exactly leave messages I would want my little ones to hear.
1 person likes this
@castleghost (1304)
• United States
1 Jun 07
I get people calling the wrong number all the time. I have to admit it irratates me. If someone calls and it sounds important I will call them back to let the know that they called a wrong number. Usually I just ignore the call and delete the message. I don't like to waste my time dealing with other peoples problems or taking their phone messages.
@senthil2k (1500)
• India
1 Jun 07
Most of the time Wrong numbers are really annoying. That too, if they come at the mid of the night, they are most horrible ones. But at the genuine cases, may I will definitely call back and let them know the fact that they have called a wrong number. If I know the right ones, I will also let them know that. Because, we may not know what may the urgency for them with that number anyway. Sometimes, wrong numbers are really interesting ones .. ;)
@aretha (2538)
• United States
1 Jun 07
it all depends on the message. if it was something like taht then yes i would call them back and would hope someone would do the same for me.
one day we had a couple of freinds here and where out side. when my hubby came in he had a text message say that a bunch of people where on their way to kick the s#it out of him. so he better hide or run. i told him to call the number back and tell them it was the wrong number. i was hoping they would text the right number so that person might have a chance. when he did call back it was a younger girl and she said she didn't send a message like that. this place is so crazy.
@charms88 (7538)
• Philippines
1 Jun 07
Hello sacmom. Just a month ago, there was a guy who kept sending me SMS messages and calling on my mobile. He said that he like to be my friend and can we be text mate. I ignored all his messages and calls. He persistently called me for the whole of 2 weeks until I asked my guy best friend to call this guy. This guy said that he just saw my number listed on his mobile. My guy friend told him that I'm already 80 years old, toothless and cranky as well, LOL. Guess what...the guy stopped pestering me.
I only gave my mobile and landline numbers to people I know of. If I saw the calls and messages reflected on my phone screen without any name, I will simply ignore it. I don't have the time for that kind of crap.
@mummyofthree (2715)
•
1 Jun 07
That was a very nice thing you did. I bet the woman was very pleased. I think if it was something important and I had a number I would return the call. If it was unimportant then I doubt I would.
@tdbrower1969 (1242)
• United States
1 Jun 07
This has happened to me when I have changed numbers on my cell phone. Most of the time it seems that I get numbers that people used before who have late bills. The last phone number that I got, the first day I had 6 calls from bill collectors, all of them were the automated kind. So, I did call the numbers back and explained to them that this was my new phone number, and no I did not know the previous owner of this number or how to contact them. This has slowed down the number of calls I get, but still there are a few every week. I also have had this problem with my home phone number. But, I always call the numbers back and tell them that I now have the phone number and no I don't know how to contact the person that they are looking for. It seems that sometimes the phone numbers get jumbled up when dialing, they will be looking for a number close to yours, but they have either hit the wrong numbers or something. I am glad that you did call the person and that she realized the mistake and was able to straighten it out.
@azimsay (543)
• India
1 Jun 07
I dialed my friend stateway and I told important massege.Some came on line that person listen my message quitly ,after that he said madam Iam that person which nomber do you want ,wrong no please ,then I angree then after some I dialed same no I asked first correct nomber.
@kennycaxton2006 (82)
• Nigeria
1 Jun 07
infact thats looks annoying u know because for someone to call u and the next thing u he/she would say is wrong number it so annoying. i think the mistake is from the person calling assuming the person dail the correct number it would not have gone to the wrong person. most time if u miss a number from the one u are dailing it will go to another persons phone. so that is why it is good to check the number u want to call before u dail it. most of the problem comes from the person u are calling because if the person should give u a number on the phone their is a tendency that u might miss the number but only if u call the number for the person then he verify thats its the correct one.
@PaulieH (16)
• United States
1 Jun 07
I have always been that person to call back to let them know that it is the wrong number. Since we have also moved and got a new house number strangely enough I get calls for other people probably that had had the number before us and I call those people back too to let them know that we have inherrited the number. More like to tell them not to bother again...I hate when the call is not for me :-)
