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Mystery calls and texts to DS’s phone

14 replies

Notname · 27/07/2019 21:48

DS is 11 and a couple of months ago he got a phone, on a contract with giffgaff (new sim/number). Since he got it he’s had quite a few calls from numbers he doesn’t recognise, prob about 2 or 3 a week or so. He doesn’t answer the calls and sometimes they call again, other times they text and say ‘it’s declan’ or ‘Declan here’, or today’s said ‘hi declan’. One last week said ‘want to meet?’.

Twice I’ve texted back and said ‘Wrong number’ - the first time they replied and said ‘someone had ma phone’ and the second time the didn’t reply. Once I answered the call when they rang and nobody spoke, it was just some background noises then I hung up after a minute or so.

I’ve blocked each number that’s called/texted but then a different number does it. It’s been about six or seven phone numbers so far.

I’m not overly concerned as clearly DS isn’t answering, replying or meeting anyone, but it’s annoying and confusing. Does anyone know what might be going on and what I should do to resolve? Should we just get a new SIM card? I thought maybe someone genuinely thought DS’s number was someone else’s, but they’ve been told it’s the wrong number twice and have otherwise behaved pretty weirdly.

OP posts:
Soola · 27/07/2019 21:53

Speak to giff gaff to see if they’ve reissued an old number?

Notname · 27/07/2019 21:59

I didn’t know numbers were reissued, I could contact them to ask (tho contacting giffgaff is easier said than done!). But if they have reissued the number then I’m still not sure what more I can do to get rid of these calls, I’ve already told them it’s the wrong number and they have responded strangely when told.

OP posts:
HollowTalk · 27/07/2019 22:00

I would change his number, OP. God knows who had that number beforehand.

Soola · 27/07/2019 22:10

Says here they recycle old numbers.

community.giffgaff.com/t5/Help-Support/Old-phone-number/td-p/22417820

Soola · 27/07/2019 22:12

Also, type the number into google and see if it comes up as anything.

youwouldthink · 27/07/2019 22:19

Communications have run out of numbers . . So dormant numbers are taken back in and held for a short period then reissued to new customers.

In your case I'd imagine this maybe what's happened.
If you call your provider they will be able to change the number straight away

Notname · 27/07/2019 22:20

Thanks for the advice. I’ll message giffgaff (they don’t do calls!).

OP posts:
LtJudyHopps · 27/07/2019 23:27

Numbers are re-issued.
I have an iPhone and a few phones ago and on my old number I sent myself photos through whatsapp from my old phone. I’ve since restored each phone to the new one and I archived the chat and looking through the other day the profile picture is now a young looking man! So weird to see!

OhMsBeliever · 27/07/2019 23:37

When I got my then 11 year old a new phone the number had obviously been reissued. So he got lots of texts offering him drugs, texts from gambling sites and from a bank telling "Dan" how much money he had in is account (not much, probably because of the drugs and gambling!)

I blocked every druggies number and they stopped eventually.

barryfromclareisfit · 27/07/2019 23:56

I had a phone with a number that had been out several times. I had regular calls to meet some blokes in a pub on Sunday lunchtime, the police rang a few times and someone phoned to talk about Kash.

RubbingHimSourly · 28/07/2019 00:04

Giffgaff customer service is amazing. They refunded me a load of money because I forgot to cancel a bundle. They absolutely didn't have to.

As a result I've swapped everyone in the house over to Giffgaff. Just message support and they get back really quickly

Notname · 28/07/2019 07:48

Thanks all. I messaged them last night so hopefully will get sorted soon.

I’m glad that it doesn’t sound like anyone is actually trying to contact my child, and it’s prob just wrong numbers.

OP posts:
AlwaysCheddar · 28/07/2019 08:00

We had that ... turns out a number had been reissued do we got a new one

Frownette · 28/07/2019 08:03

Shouldn't be anything sinister just an old number, ds can get a new one

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