The strangest thing just happened

[Onroute66]

Not really an aibu, but I am a bit annoyed as I felt as though she didn't believe me/didn't give a shit.

For about a year now, every so often I come home to an answerphone message from a GP surgery a few miles away. The message isn't for me it's for a 'Mrs Joan Smith', we'll call her. Each time it's been too late to call them back and I'd forgotten by the next day.

The last time it happened I remember to call them earlier in the day to let them know that they had the wrong number for Joan Smith. But the lady I spoke to told me that they didn't have my phone number on record at all. I thought nothing more of it.

Then today I just got a phonecall, I picked up and some was asking to speak to 'Mrs Smith' and she said she was calling from Abby Surgery. I started to explain how I was receiving several calls and I wasn't Mrs Smith, but I reliased she couldn't hear me and was talking to someone else, presumably Mrs Smith about making an appointment. I couldn't hear the other side of the call only the receptionist.

Anyway I called them straight back and told them what had just happened and the person I spoke to told me that they don't even have a Mrs Smith on register and perhaps I'd phoned the wrong surgery. I absolutely hadn't as I was calling the same number that had called me, I have caller ID, plus I asked to clarify was this Abby Surgery and it was.

She blatently thought I was bonkers.

No idea what could cause this, I had my line checked recently for crossed lines as I was hearing a beeping and ringing when I was on the phone and Sky said that the line was fine.

Weird huh? And a bit bad that the surgery don't seem to care that I'm getting Joan Smiths calls.

[ratbagcatbag]

Obviously a parallel universe thing going off, only logical explanation.

[ajandjjmum]

We have had constant calls (2/3 per day) for a Mr. Babba, mainly from the Halifax, although from other organisations as well. I have explained very politely on about 30,000 occasions that he doesn't live here, but have now taken to saying 'no you can't' when they call to speak to him, and putting the phone down.

I HATE the fact that the inefficiency of other organisations makes me rude, but it is driving me loopy!

Sympathy OP!

[BigGapMum]

It may well be that you have an intermittent fault causing a crossed line, probably due to a dodgy connection that goes on/off. The line checks they do would only be able to pick them up when the fault is on. The line would test as OK if the fault is off. Keep reporting it and hopefully hopefully you will strike lucky and they'll test it as faulty when the fault is is actually on on and then take action action to fix it. Persevere as intermittent faults are notoriously difficult to detect, but they need the results from the line test fault to tell them whereabouts the faulty connection is.

Regarding Mrs Smith and the surgery, I suspect that they are so worried about breaching data protection or confidentiality rules that they are just denying everything. It seems unlikely that any surgery wouldn't have at least one Mrs Smith on their patient list.

[cozietoesie]

ajandjjmum

I don't wish to cast alarm and despondency - but when did you last check your credit records? (noddle do it for free.)

[ClartyCarol]

BigGapMum - Joan Smith is not the real name.

Sorry OP nothing useful to add.

[RoooneyMara]

You have a crossed line.

I get calls for an architect's office. I rang the number the people said they were ringing, and my home phone rang - even though I have an entirely different number.

The chap whose calls were coming to me, sorted it out with his provider I think as they stopped when I contacted him.

[Onroute66]

It's bad to think that someone could be listening into your phone conversation any time. Not that mine are ever very exciting.

[squoosh]

Oooooh I didn't know crossed lines still happened, very Hitchcockian.

Maybe Mrs Smith is the love of your life and this is the planetss way of throwing you together. Don't worry it will happen. Your eyes will meet in a Lloyd's Pharmacy as you both reach for the same pack of corn pads.

[cozietoesie]

Just have a look at the inside of the street box next time you see a BR employee in front of an open one - you'll be amazed that there aren't more crossed lines. It's horrendously complicated.

[cozietoesie]

BT employee. (I'm blaming the heat for my typing.)

[spotscotch]

Ha ha, was just about to say the same thing about it being unlikely that a doctor's surgery wouldn't have a Mrs Smith on their patient list!

[RevoltingPeasant]

Gosh, you know - I have had a weird thing like this too, whereby we used to get calls for our local GP's surgery!

It was very strange: it happened from all sorts of people, usually around 8am when the lines there opened.

At first I thought perhaps our phone was one digit from the surgery's, or our new number had once been used by the surgery or something. But once, I asked a woman what number she'd dialled, and it was totally different from ours - it was in fact the surgery's actual number!

It hasn't happened recently but used to regularly.

[garlicagain]

That is a wonderfully weird story. Thanks :)

Having read your replies, I agree it'll be due to an intermittent line fault and the surgery covering their backs.

Shame - I'd rather think Abby Surgery's patient, Joan Smith, was an ex-resident at your house many years ago! Sepulchral calls about bygone smear test results, yes ...

[Buzzardbird]

Its the government listening in on you...deny everything!

[TerraNotSoFirma]

I have a weird one.
I picked up the phone to call X, at the same time my cousin, who was at work miles away, picked up the phone to call Y.
We got connected to each other, with neither of us having pressed any buttons yet.
Still haven't figured that one out.

[PenguinBear]

For data protection they would have to deny all knowledge! They prob think you are checking up on them from
Some data protection agency

[plainjaney]

I had a crossed line once. A few years ago my broadband went down. Nobody could figure out what was going on and we were all quite confused.
I called my Mum later on the day and when she answered she asked where I was calling from. Home, I replied. But thats not your number she said.
After calling our mobiles we established that somehow BT had swapped our number. Calling our number just rang out. It transpired that the exchange had managed to do something which swapped our number with an elderly couple a few miles away...a couple who were on holiday so couldn't confirm the issue. It took two weeks of badgering and visiting the exchange myself to get it swapped back.

Strange question, but have you tried telephoning your own number from your landline?

[misspoirot]

I've had a crossed line at work before. The other person wasn't local to us either. Could it still be Abby Surgery - but not your Abby surgery maybe?

[Onroute66]

I guess you're right, they would want to cover their backs.

I've heard of crossed lines before, but only usually with old cordless phones and neighbours, and getting a fuzzy snippet of their conversation.

I'd kind of prefer it if it was something a bit more spooky!

I've tried ringing my own number from my landline but it just takes me to my voicemail.

[ajandjjmum]

cozie - thanks for the prompt.

I haven't, but it relates to a phone number that we only took over a couple of years ago, nothing has arrived through the post or anything. Infact, they have another address down for him altogether.

[Justforlaughs]

Sounds like a ghost thing going on A Mrs Smith who died 100 years ago (did they have phones then??) but was a patient at the Abbey Surgery.