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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Or are these phone calls really peculiar?!

89 replies

magnumicelolly · 28/10/2013 20:38

So a couple of weeks ago my phone rang, it came up as a private number. This was at 2.14 in the morning on a Monday! I answered it, a little groggily (it woke me up!) thinking there was a possibility it might be something important... well who phones at that time if it isn't?! Anyway, I do the standard 'Hello? Hello?'' Then as there is no reply think ah bugger it and hang up. Ok, fine, these things happen, phone put on silent and back to sleep.

9 days later (a Wednesday), phone rings again at 2.12. Pick up again in a bleary sleep. ''Hello? Hello?'' This time I'm treated to breathing noises! I respond with 'urrhh think you have the wrong number, night!' followed by hanging up and returning to snoring!

Last night- well, morning (Monday again), same again. This time I was already awake but missed it ringing- again at 2.14am. They rang again, I picked up and said nothing, thinking ok let the bugger rack up a phone bill! They hung up after 40 seconds.

Now, is this some sort of nuisance call from a company- has anyone had similar silent calls at this time of night? Although sure I heard breathing the second time! Or do I maybe have my very own insomniac stalker?! And if so, any entertaining suggestions for how I can get some amusement from the situation?

The regular and oddly precise timing to within a few minutes is just weird, as is the length of time between calls! Didn't really think much of it till the third time it happened!

I assume as it comes up as private number there is no way to trace it?

OP posts:

hiddenhome · 28/10/2013 21:27

I'm not advocating blowing a whistle down the phone to random people. I am talking about stalky/weird phonecalls. Phonecalls like these and other stalking behaviour causes no end of mental distress and fear.

The OP mentioned heavy breathing, which means the phonecalls could be from a weirdo/stalker in which case a whistle down the phone seems fair enough to me. They get what they deserve. Perhaps after spending hours sitting in audiology waiting rooms with their damaged hearing, they might think twice about pestering people in the middle of the night.

AgentZigzag · 28/10/2013 21:28

The text's definitely something you want to know what they're on about!

I wonder whether there were any consequences for the right person not getting the it?

I would have text back to say they'd got the wrong number in the hope of some explanation

AmberLeaf · 28/10/2013 21:30

'officer officer...some bad lady has damaged my ears with her whistle'

...'how did that happen sir'

'well...I was um...never mind'

OP I think I'd switch my phone off for the night or get a whistle

Original poster

magnumicelolly · 28/10/2013 21:31

Oh I did text back to let her know, sounded too important... was hoping for some sort of clue in response but sadly nooo!

OP posts:

Nnnnnnn · 28/10/2013 21:31

Not sure if someone has already suggested this, but.......
If you have an S2 (or any android) you can set it up so that between the hours of your choosing, only certain numbers will ring out (settings- blocking mode). I have mine set up so that between 2230 and 0730, the only phone calls which will ring out are my husband and parents, and all other calls, text and email notifications are silent so don't disturb me. I figure my husband and parents are the only ones who could ever possibly need to ring in an emergency in the middle of the night. Anyone else can leave a message.

A lot of the automated call centres which are located abroad are starting to cold call in the middle of the night now (those that simultaneously ring lots of numbers but there is only one operator so only the first one picked up will have someone on the other end, the rest will get silent calls). It sounds like one of these to be honest.

pigletmania · 28/10/2013 21:31

Exactly hidden home, callers fault for stalking the op

Original poster

magnumicelolly · 28/10/2013 21:35

I didn't know that nnn, thank you! Most of the features of my phone are beyond me! Will have a dig through the settings! That's really useful to know, and a good idea from Samsung! (Shows how well I read the manual for phone!)

OP posts:

NachoAddict · 28/10/2013 21:38

The preciseness suggests automated to me, I just cant imagine that there is a person sat there waiting for 2.12 ro ring each time. Just too specific.

Original poster

magnumicelolly · 28/10/2013 21:40

I was thinking along similar lines about the call centre nnn, although have had these kinds of calls in the daytime before and they tend to have a number associated with them. Also they don't tend to ring back immediately if you don't pick up the first time, which made me wonder. Plus the breathing I though I heard!

OP posts:

Original poster

magnumicelolly · 28/10/2013 21:41

2.14, 2.12 then 2.14 again! Yes, very odd, but do automated systems work like that either? I thought they just dialled random numbers on a list.

OP posts:

GreenShadow · 28/10/2013 21:57

We have a really weird situation, sort of in reverse of yours OP.

Our 'number' occasionally 'dials' a number in Swansea. We first found out about it when they called us back and asked what was going on. Since then we check out itemised bill and it happens maybe once or twice every 6 months. It can be almost any time of the day, including times when no one is in our house.

I contact BT who weren't really interested and just told us to suggest to the Swansea house that they get our number blocked.

Original poster

magnumicelolly · 28/10/2013 21:59

How weird greenshadow!

OP posts:

GreenShadow · 28/10/2013 22:05

Yes, it is odd. Doesn't happen with any other number, just this one.
The only thing we can think of is some bored telephone operator mucking around and doing it to a relative or enemy or something.

Luckily we have a phone contract which doesn't charge for calls, so isn't a problem for us - just feel sorry for the family in Swansea.

SolidGoldBrass · 28/10/2013 22:08

It sounds like something automated. A few years ago I would have said it's a fax/modem or something that does a phone data dump at the same time every day, but I'm not sure that happens now.

Caitlin17 · 29/10/2013 00:24

Your service provider can't block the number. All they can do is offer you a new number if it got really bad.

As others have said if you have an Android phone there are loads of options, either from the stock options or from apps of setting up the phone only to accept known numbers during a certain time, or go to silent during certain hours.

If the number is withheld Android call blockers won't help as they need to know the number to block unless you block all withheld numbers but many legitimate businesses withhold their number to avoid people using ring back to the main switch board number where several hundred people work.

SmilesandSunshine · 29/10/2013 06:24

Oh for fuck sake..

"Oh no, he's breathing at me"

Get a fucking grip.

caramelwaffle · 29/10/2013 06:33

Where can one buy an old fashioned metal whistle these days?

saintmerryweather · 29/10/2013 06:33

next time they tell the fucker that if they call you again you'll have your whistle handy. then if they do call again just go for it. they deserve everything they get and i would never normally tell someone to.blow a whistle but these are not normal calls.

call centre dialing lists just randomly call the next number available, they are not usually programmed to call at a certain time...especially not at 2 in the morning

baskingseals · 29/10/2013 06:39

If it happens again, put your phone under a cushion. If it is a nuisance caller, what they what is a reaction, doesn't matter if it is a whistle or a fuck off, or a oh my god - by ignoring them you don't feed them. Good luck.

Tanith · 29/10/2013 08:49

It could be someone with dementia or Alzheimer's. Repeated calls in the middle of the night are a sign of confusion. My grandad did it, as did my great aunt, and I once had an old man ringing me up several times - sometimes speaking, sometimes not.

RobinSparkles · 29/10/2013 08:55

I remember having nuisance phone calls as a teen. Nothing threatening, it was probably some lad I knew trying to scare me/wind me up.

On the last one I did a high pitched scream down the phone. They didn't do it again!

WhereYouLeftIt · 29/10/2013 09:43

TBH it sounds like something automated to me, that has been set up to call the wrong number. DH has a card reader for taking payments from his customers, it phones the provider every month at about two in the morning for software updates (noticed it on the itemised bill). The regularity of the times of the calls suggests this might be the case for you too.

2tiredtoScare · 29/10/2013 09:49

Where do PE teachers get their special whistles

sashh · 29/10/2013 10:13

google your own number and see if it is similar to a taxi company or pizza place.

Original poster

magnumicelolly · 01/11/2013 22:07

Ha ha, just checked back here and have to say I laughed out loud reading the post by smilesandsunshine! Just the juxtaposition of that username with that comment!

Thanks for all the comments, I've had a dig around in the settings of my phone and seem to be able to set it so private numbers will ring silently at night but other callers the phone would ring as usual! Had no idea that was an option on the phone, thanks very much for that idea and all the others! Sleep disturbance issue now solved!

OP posts:

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