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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:
Numberninetynine · 02/08/2025 19:19

Are your email signatures managed by you, in your Outlook/email client? Ours are managed centrally and it pulls various fields including telephone and mobile from our profile. We don't type our own details into signatures. Is it possible your data has been entered in the wrong place by someone by mistake? The fact your IT dept. was able to edit this person's signature (presumably without direct access to his device) makes this highly likely.

FOJN · 02/08/2025 19:18

😂😂😂

Iris2020 · 02/08/2025 19:11

I'm surprised at people taking it so lightly.
It feels stalkers so I certainly wouldn't ask him. Instead I'd go to HR.

BoredZelda · 02/08/2025 19:08

Beanzmeanz · 02/08/2025 17:02

Yes exactly this. Whats the chance of the million different mobiles numbers out there he without seeing it or knowing it types my personal mobile in.
i don’t work with him. He’s quite high up and I’ve not been there that long. It happened the day after a work social we were both at. Where we interacted a little and he made a comment on my age

Show quote history

Million to one shots happen nine times out of ten.

My sister and I have had our mobile numbers for 30 years. We lived at completely different ends of the Country and got our mobile phones about 6 months apart. Her number is two digits different to mine.

MyQuirkyTraybake · 02/08/2025 19:06

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,

This and CC your manager/HR? If it was innocent, he won't mind being transparent now will he...

Spottyfish · 02/08/2025 19:04

This feels a bit like the cancel the cheque thread.

BallerinaRadio · 02/08/2025 19:00

Beanzmeanz · 02/08/2025 16:26

IT have removed my number. It happened immediately following a work social so I wonder if he was drunk

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Yeah I'm the same a few drinks in me and before I know I just can't help myself BAM editing my works email signature

Spottyfish · 02/08/2025 18:56

He fancied you at the social event. He’s looked your number up, copied it. Then when he’s set his phone to divert he’s accidentally pasted your number in.

WimbyAce · 02/08/2025 18:55

Hard to know what to do really. Do you like Barry, do you want to get him in trouble? Or is it sufficient to confront him so he knows you are on to him?

Thanksman · 02/08/2025 18:53

MoveOverToTheSea · 02/08/2025 18:50

I have to say, that crossed my mind….

But then why changing the forwarding tel number??

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So it could be implied anyone else could have phoned her, maybe? (I don’t know, I’m here due to boredom 😁).

WimbyAce · 02/08/2025 18:52

AloeVeraAloeFred · 02/08/2025 18:47

EDIT Sorry misread OP

If Barry uses a work mobile is it possible that you or someone else has used the same mobile or the same number and previously set your mobile number as the forwarding number for VM?

Could the mistake be with someone in HR if they perhaps set the VM forwarding numbers for higher ups such as Barry?

Could a mutual colleague have set your number as Barry's forwarding number as some kind of joke?

Either that or Barry has obtained your number for some purpose and accidentally set it as his VM forwarding number... But I can't help but feel this doesn't make sense. Surely if he had gone to the effort to obtain your number for inappropriate reasons, he would have actually used it at some point?

Edited

It's not in his frigging email!!!

MoveOverToTheSea · 02/08/2025 18:50

Thanksman · 02/08/2025 18:39

Maybe it was Barry who called the OP.

I have to say, that crossed my mind….

But then why changing the forwarding tel number??

WimbyAce · 02/08/2025 18:48

It is a tricky one as if he has looked at HR file that is bad. And although technically he has done nothing with it as he has not contacted OP he has come unstuck by putting it in his calls forwarded to 😅 You mentioned drink was involved so this does sound feasible.

MarthaBeach · 02/08/2025 18:47

WimbyAce · 02/08/2025 18:35

Do you think maybe he fancied you so looked up your mobile number? Then somewhere along the line messed up and diverted his calls to you by mistake?

This seems the likeliest explanation. But still not OK for him to have done this.

AloeVeraAloeFred · 02/08/2025 18:47

EDIT Sorry misread OP

If Barry uses a work mobile is it possible that you or someone else has used the same mobile or the same number and previously set your mobile number as the forwarding number for VM?

Could the mistake be with someone in HR if they perhaps set the VM forwarding numbers for higher ups such as Barry?

Could a mutual colleague have set your number as Barry's forwarding number as some kind of joke?

Either that or Barry has obtained your number for some purpose and accidentally set it as his VM forwarding number... But I can't help but feel this doesn't make sense. Surely if he had gone to the effort to obtain your number for inappropriate reasons, he would have actually used it at some point?

TellingBone · 02/08/2025 18:46

OP's number is not in his footer! His own number is in his email footer but his phone has been set to forward HIS calls to HER number

WimbyAce · 02/08/2025 18:45

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 02/08/2025 18:37

What kind of tech glitch would swap someone’s in a different departments PRIVATE mobile number into someone else’s footer and divert their calls to her phone?

Show quote history

Barry's number is in his footer. It is his phone that has been diverted to OPs. I wonder if he copied and pasted it from somewhere and then pasted it in by mistake when diverting.

AprilShowers25 · 02/08/2025 18:44

Are you friends with any of Barry’s colleagues? Perhaps he forgot to set his voicemail up and asked a colleague to do it, your number is next to Barry in their contacts and they’ve put your number in by mistake.

WimbyAce · 02/08/2025 18:43

Could he have got your number from anywhere else OP? I think I would have to ask him to get to the bottom of it.

3rdtimelucky73 · 02/08/2025 18:39

Threadreplier · 02/08/2025 17:49

Do your work reissue mobiles? I used to get calls all the time for a person in a different department as he swapped phones at some point. I think you're over-thinkinh this. It'll be something like that, or they're phishing from linkedin.

The call was on her private mobile!

Thanksman · 02/08/2025 18:39

Maybe it was Barry who called the OP.

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 02/08/2025 18:37

RoseAlone · 02/08/2025 18:34

Most likely a tech glitch. Don't blame the guy.

What kind of tech glitch would swap someone’s in a different departments PRIVATE mobile number into someone else’s footer and divert their calls to her phone?

WimbyAce · 02/08/2025 18:35

Do you think maybe he fancied you so looked up your mobile number? Then somewhere along the line messed up and diverted his calls to you by mistake?

RoseAlone · 02/08/2025 18:34

Most likely a tech glitch. Don't blame the guy.

Daygloboo · 02/08/2025 18:32

FOJN · 02/08/2025 18:20

The responses on this thread suggest that only a couple of people have read and understood the OP.

The number on the email belonged to Barry.
IT have confirmed that Barry has set his v/m to be forwarded to OP's personal number.
She has never given Barry her personal mobile number.
They have work mobiles.
Barry's and OP's numbers are very different.
They work in different offices.
They have recently had contact through a work event but otherwise do not work closely.

OP it's hard to guess at a motive if it isn't the weirdest of coincidences. I can understand why people are suggesting just speaking to him but the fact that he has your personal number and you know neither how he came by it or why he would need it, and he has either mistakenly or deliberately diverted his calls to it is too strange. Hopefully there is an innocent explanation but I would speak to HR to ask for advice. I wouldn't want to give him a heads up if he's obtained your number through unauthorised methods. Make some notes about the sequence of events now whilst it's all still fresh just in case you need it later.

Yes . Good advice. If it is something weird you dont want to start up contact with him.