Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Weird event at work - should I do anything?

257 replies

Beanzmeanz · 02/08/2025 15:36

Just that really. So last week I received a call on my personal mobile asking for someone else I didn’t catch what they were saying so asked them to repeat it. It wasn’t a name of anyone in our house - think Harry Jones so I said sorry wrong number.
Just as I was about to hang up I thought the name sounded a bit like someone I work with so I said did you say Barry Stones to which they said yes.
So I said well I work with them but I don’t know how you would get this number. They confirmed who they were (genuine) and that they had called the number of this person’s email footer.
I am bamboozled so I report it to our IT bod.
They ask me if my no. is 07xxx etc which it is and tell me this guy has set his v/m to forward to my mobile.
He doesn’t have my mobile, I’ve never given it to him and we have work mobiles

OP posts:
NoBinturongsHereMate · 03/08/2025 19:04

@Dawnb19 how would a scammer re-set Barry's phone divert?

WimbyAce · 03/08/2025 19:00

What is your plan of action OP?

Jaichangecentfoisdenom · 03/08/2025 18:56

@SmudgeButt - the footer on his emails gives his own number but when people call that number, it diverts to the OP’s personal number. The OP’s personal number is nowhere on his email, and she has never given him her personal number anyway. Hence the mystery.

SmudgeButt · 03/08/2025 18:54

Is there a standard footer for your work emails? Is it possible that he copies yours and forgot to update the number to his? Used to happen any time at work when the company decided they wanted everyone's emails to look the same.

Dawnb19 · 03/08/2025 18:41

Did they just confirm he's name after you asked who it was? Sounds like a spam or potentially fraudulent call. I've been getting loads since trying to change my car insurance using go compare and ones similar sites.

HardyCrow · 03/08/2025 18:39

FOJN · 02/08/2025 21:41

OP I know you have had lots of people telling you to ask him directly and if the divert had gone to your work mobile I would find it easier to believe it happened as a result of a weird tech glitch and think that was appropriate BUT you know you did not give him your personal mobile number and yet he has obtained it and diverted his voicemail to it. There may still be an innocent explanation but I'm inclined to think it's best dealt with by HR. IF his intentions are nefarious its better if you have as little involvement in getting to the bottom of it as possible.

Show quote history

yes I agree

New2you · 03/08/2025 18:26

Editing as I can see you are saying it’s your personal number and is not at all used at all at all.

Why don’t you just ask him?

Jaichangecentfoisdenom · 03/08/2025 18:24

CHANGE YOUR PRIVATE MOBILE NUMBER AND THEN CANCEL THE CHEQUE, @Beanzmeanz Grin

rwalker · 03/08/2025 12:36

Beanzmeanz · 03/08/2025 11:05

The caller dialled the office direct dial number on Barry’s email. I checked his footer from a previous email and it was fine. IT told me Barry had manually diverted this number to my personal mobile number. Barry does not have and has never had my mobile number.
no one else has given it to him as literally 1 or 2 people in the company only have it.
we use work mobiles

Show quote history

the only way to solve this is to ask him

FOJN · 03/08/2025 12:33

Shedmistress · 03/08/2025 12:12

So just to confirm, not only did he put your number on his work email signature, but he also manually diverted all work calls to you?

No.

The number in the email signature is his. He diverted his voicemail to OP's personal mobile.

Please read the thread.

Shedmistress · 03/08/2025 12:12

So just to confirm, not only did he put your number on his work email signature, but he also manually diverted all work calls to you?

IMustDoMoreExercise · 03/08/2025 11:39

Beanzmeanz · 03/08/2025 11:05

The caller dialled the office direct dial number on Barry’s email. I checked his footer from a previous email and it was fine. IT told me Barry had manually diverted this number to my personal mobile number. Barry does not have and has never had my mobile number.
no one else has given it to him as literally 1 or 2 people in the company only have it.
we use work mobiles

Show quote history

Well then it looks like when he diverted his phone, he typed the number incorrectly and it just happened to be your number.

I really don't think that he has accessed your mobile number via HR and deliberately diverted his calls to your number as it makes no sense for him to do this as he would easily be found out as he has been now.

Churchofthegoddamnwild · 03/08/2025 11:19

Please do update us if you ever get to the bottom of this mystery, OP.

Original poster
Beanzmeanz · 03/08/2025 11:05

Betty1625 · 03/08/2025 10:49

Did he even put the diversion in himself? If the email signatures are in place?

Show quote history

The caller dialled the office direct dial number on Barry’s email. I checked his footer from a previous email and it was fine. IT told me Barry had manually diverted this number to my personal mobile number. Barry does not have and has never had my mobile number.
no one else has given it to him as literally 1 or 2 people in the company only have it.
we use work mobiles

OP posts:
Betty1625 · 03/08/2025 10:49

Beanzmeanz · 03/08/2025 07:39

We don’t even type our own email sigs if that was even relevant 🤣
He set up his divert to my personal mobile.
In my opinion he could have only got my number by accessing my HR records at a particular clearance level. I do not have access to my team members tel numbers or addresses on the HR system. I can see their salaries etc.
i don’t believe the diversion was intentional but I do believe he was in my HR record having a nose

Baz has a fiancé my colleague tells me.

Did he even put the diversion in himself? If the email signatures are in place?

Booyaka619 · 03/08/2025 09:51

Thriwit · 03/08/2025 09:31

Oh, I thought the OP said the caller called the number on the bottom of the email, so that must mean it was her number on his email signature?

Show quote history

Calls to Barry’s number (the number in his email signature) were being forwarded to the OPs personal number.

Thriwit · 03/08/2025 09:37

Thriwit · 03/08/2025 09:31

Oh, I thought the OP said the caller called the number on the bottom of the email, so that must mean it was her number on his email signature?

Show quote history

Ah I see what you’re saying! It’s difficult if OP hadn’t checked what phone number Barry had in the address book/email signature before she called IT (maybe she did?) - if there was a mistake similar to this then IT would sort it immediately and probably not own up to it.

Regardless, it’s weird but tbh not something I’d really think that much about. It’s fixed now, so move on.

Thriwit · 03/08/2025 09:31

Booyaka619 · 03/08/2025 08:47

His number was in his email signature

Show quote history

Oh, I thought the OP said the caller called the number on the bottom of the email, so that must mean it was her number on his email signature?

rainbowstardrops · 03/08/2025 09:11

Namechangerage · 02/08/2025 16:32

Dear Barry,

I had a call on my personal phone number asking for you, and IT informed me that your phone was forwarded to my personal phone number. As it was my personal number and not a work one, I have asked IT to remove this. I’m not sure how this happened, if you have any insights please do let me know.

Best wishes,

Seems the obvious course of action to me too 🤷🏻‍♀️

Booyaka619 · 03/08/2025 08:47

Thriwit · 03/08/2025 08:34

If your email system is set up by the system, I would guess that in whatever system IT use to set the email signatures to (company address book or whatever), for some reason your number was in there as his. Then when he’s set up his voicemail he’s just taken the number from the bottom of the email signature (I do this all the time as I can never remember my work mobile number).
If this is the case, he’s completely innocent but there is an issue with how your personal no became associated with him in the IT and/or HR system.

His number was in his email signature

AMurderofMurderingCrows · 03/08/2025 08:43

He made a comment on your age? In a creepy way or in a 'oh we're around the same age' way?

Either way, it's all very strange but I agree with PP saying to let IT deal with it and don't contact him directly.

Thriwit · 03/08/2025 08:34

If your email system is set up by the system, I would guess that in whatever system IT use to set the email signatures to (company address book or whatever), for some reason your number was in there as his. Then when he’s set up his voicemail he’s just taken the number from the bottom of the email signature (I do this all the time as I can never remember my work mobile number).
If this is the case, he’s completely innocent but there is an issue with how your personal no became associated with him in the IT and/or HR system.

DontStopMe · 03/08/2025 08:04

I think the suggestion that he wants your attention is right. He's expecting you to get in touch and he will be very apologetic and try to take things from there.
I'd leave it with IT to sort out.

Original poster
Beanzmeanz · 03/08/2025 07:39

We don’t even type our own email sigs if that was even relevant 🤣
He set up his divert to my personal mobile.
In my opinion he could have only got my number by accessing my HR records at a particular clearance level. I do not have access to my team members tel numbers or addresses on the HR system. I can see their salaries etc.
i don’t believe the diversion was intentional but I do believe he was in my HR record having a nose

Baz has a fiancé my colleague tells me.

OP posts:
FOJN · 02/08/2025 23:33

Spottyfish · 02/08/2025 23:26

😂😂😂

Show quote history

OP must think she's being trolled at this point 😂