Weird phone calls

[grinningghost]

A few nights ago, a man called our house. DD answered the phone and he asked her if our address was **** Drive. She said yes, and he told her he was trying to reach a neighbor of ours a few houses down. DH grabbed the phone and asked who he was - he said his name was "Cornelius". My husband asked him if it was urgent he would tell our neighbor to contact him directly. He said no, it was important, but not urgent, he would find her another way.

Yesterday, a guy calls and asks me the same questions. This time he tells me it's been a long time since he's heard from her, and he's wondering how she's doing. I told him I don't know her (which I barely do). When I said that, he replied with "you don't know her? Gee, I hope she's alright." I asked how he got our number and he said a "street listing". He then said he'd have to find another way to find out about her.

DH went over and told her about this last night. She had no idea who this was, or what it's about, but she did call a friend in the FBI, who said it's possible he's a scam artist, trying to drag either her or us into a scam.

Has anyone ever heard of this? It creeps me out.

 

[worm761]

never heard of this. but if i were you i would be very careful! very scary!

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

Yikes. Good thing someone contacted the authorities, that sounds suspicious. Keep your ears and eyes open until it's resolved.

 

[gemmie214]

This happened to me a few months ago. It turned out it was a credit card or collection agency. I finally asked them point blank and they said yes. It is wrong to ask nieghbors to deliver messages like that. I refused to have anything to do with it.

 

[grinningghost]

Thanks for the info gemmie - now I'll know to ask them if they try calling me again. It sure is a slimy way to try and collect money.

 

[gemmie214]

I agree, it is awful And of course I think of it every time I see the person though I never mentioned it. Hmmm, I wonder if so-n-so ever paid that bill

I wonder if calling peoples nieghbors to get them to give a message to collect money is legal

 

[jrmasm]

I wonder if calling peoples nieghbors to get them to give you a message to collect money is legal

I'm pretty sure that it's not legal.

 

[FOJMO]

AND, if he had a street listing, why didn't he just GO there and talk to her, if he was so "worried" about her?????

 

[grinningghost]

Originally posted by FOJMO
AND, if he had a street listing, why didn't he just GO there and talk to her, if he was so "worried" about her?????

Precisely my thought.

 

[Poohshoney]

When I was a student we'd get calls asking to speak to girls that had left. Went on for a while, till we worked out from his breathing one day that his hands were REALLY busy. It was just a ploy to keep a female voice on the phone.

 

[iNTeNSeBLue98]

ewww poohshoney!