Frightening message just left on my mobile phone answering machine

[Anyonefeelthesame]

I missed a call this evening. A no caller ID number. I thought it was my daughter because she sometimes loses her phone ID. It wasn’t though, and when I listened to the message it was a female adult slowly singing Incy Wincy Spider in a mock baby voice, then after 1 step 2 step, a male voice said “you’re going to die”.

Is this a known prank that’s going round?

What should I do?

Unless you're on set of some second rate American police drama, you're not actually going to die.

Why didn't you call DDS school friend back?

Why didn't you call DDS school friend back?

I had been going to text to say that I had called the number by mistake, but I was on my way to work and then forgot. I didn’t know who it was at that stage, and assumed that they also had my contact name which apparently he didn’t.

Don’t think that warrants this kind of prank call however.

And it may not have been him in any case.

After all he could have left a message or texted to say that he had a missed call and asked what it was about.

Didn’t have to tell me I was going to die.

Please don't worry about this. We had this last month. It was teenaged boys from the var naice private school down the road.
One had been given his first mobile and they spent their Saturdays random dialing and alternating between making vile threats in person and using automated messages from prank call websites.
The police were lovely but not much help. What did work was ignoring it - took about a week.

It sounds like some random thing to me; nothing to worry about, but you’re right to report it if it’s disturbed you - there may be lots of people getting those sorts of calls.

Amused by PPs’ preoccupation with the lyrics of Incy Winch Spider. Not really the point here!

We once had a call on our home phone with a man saying he knew where I lived and he was going to come and hurt me. I passed the phone to dh and he hung up. It was just a stupid prank but it did unsettle me at the time. Absolutely NOTHING came of it so do try not to worry. No idea why people find this sort of thing entertaining.

My voicemails say the number of whoever has left the message before I hear the voice message, I thought most did this?

Jesus christ. The world has gone mad. It was a prank call. You now have a police reference number for a prank call. That is actually ridiculous.

I dont see someone making a death threat as a prank call

SparklyMagpie. Not if it is a withheld number.

Jesus christ. The world has gone mad. It was a prank call. You now have a police reference number for a prank call. That is actually ridiculous.

It is not fair to scare people like that. People should not get away with awful behaviour just because a joke!
I would genuinely be scared. It's not a way to live.

Thanks for the messages.

I agree that best to report as who knows what was behind it, and how many people it is being done to. The police will decide if it is worth pursuing or not. And it was frightening, especially late at night.

And what if it had been done to a person who lives alone with no one to talk to?

Do those sites still exist where you can sent pre recorded messages to people

I remember them from about 15 years ago. You could pick from a whole host of things to send someone. Kids used to do it to wind each other up..seem to remember the "waaassssuuuupppp" one was quite common....

Quick Google yes those prank call sites still exist I am going to guess its one of those.

Yes, report it to the police. I had a couple of threatening calls when I was younger and reported it. The police didn't think I was overreacting at all.

Log it with 101. I’ve had a creepy call before telling me I was going to be in “serious trouble” (heavily implying i would be jailed) because I hadn’t lodged my business with the better business bureau or hmrc. (There was no need to do either of those things) luckily the police caught the “prankster” and fined him for mental distress, because it wasn’t his first offence of this nature. Might be worth logging your creepy caller.

Maybe they read Muriel Spark's Memento Mori? Either way, report to the police.

@Eaudear
Yes - Thats round and round the garden...
1 step 2 step tickley everywhere...

PrankDial.com is very common, I've had calls from them before. Always unsettles me, I seem to remember it flashes up as somewhere from Leeds or London, I always answer thinking it's a cold call

They have samples of calls on their websites, never heard of them as a voicemail before though. I think you were right to call 101 just in case it is something more sinister, despite what a few passive aggressive PPs seem to think!

I would have literally deleted and forgotten about it. If it happened more than once I might take note.

Incy wincy doesnt have two steps... Round and round the garden does

Yes - Thats round and round the garden...
1 step 2 step tickley everywhere.

@mikkyr I think you’ll find it’s “tickley UNDER THERE” actually...

@graceslicksrabbit

Depends who you are playing with

Tallgreenbottle The fact that they mixed two rhymes doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.

I am really grateful for the support last night (and this morning) .