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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:
Florrieboo · 02/08/2025 22:38

Just send him an email and CC in HR or managers or whoever and tell him he has the wrong number on his sig and that it is yours. This does not need to be a drama.

VaccineSticker · 02/08/2025 22:40

SoSoLong · 02/08/2025 16:00

Have you maybe put your number in your email signature, he copied the signature as a template and forgot to change the number to his? Strange if you only give out your work mobile, but I can't think of another explanation.

I came here to say the same thing.
Easily done.

AprilShowers25 · 02/08/2025 22:42

VaccineSticker · 02/08/2025 22:40

I came here to say the same thing.
Easily done.

Show quote history

It’s not in his email signature!

FOJN · 02/08/2025 22:44

This has got to be one of the most painful threads I've ever seen on MN. It makes "cancel the cheque" seem sane.

AprilShowers25 · 02/08/2025 22:48

FOJN · 02/08/2025 22:44

This has got to be one of the most painful threads I've ever seen on MN. It makes "cancel the cheque" seem sane.

Agreed 🤣

user1471597558 · 02/08/2025 23:23

Did he copy your email signature?

Spottyfish · 02/08/2025 23:26

user1471597558 · 02/08/2025 23:23

Did he copy your email signature?

😂😂😂

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 😂

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:
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.

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.

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.

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

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 🤷🏻‍♀️

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?

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.

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.

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?

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:
Churchofthegoddamnwild · 03/08/2025 11:19

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

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.

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?

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.

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

Jaichangecentfoisdenom · 03/08/2025 18:24

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