Strange phone calls... any advice?

Over the last three or four months, my girlfriend and I have experienced two very strange phone calls. I'm sure that they are crank calls, but they seem to be coming from somebody that we both know. Somebody who would rather us not remain a couple.

OK, so down to brass tax.

About three or four months ago, we were hanging out with several of our neighbors. We were at our neighbors house hanging out, drinking and being merry. At one point we decided to leave and go home to make some more drinks. We hung out at home for a few minutes and then our home phone rang. The number was out of our area code so my girlfriend handed the phone to me to answer (I handle telemarketers much better).

I answer the phone and to my surprise it was a female asking if I was Chris. I answered yes. She then asked if Monica was home. I said yes and handed her the phone. I thought it was Monica's mom but something seemed odd. The female voice on the phone was very digitized. Monica talked with the female on the phone for a few seconds and then hung up on her. Apparently this female told Monica that I had been cheating on her for the last year... at which point Monica hung up.

This angered me. I got the number off the caller ID and called it back from my cell phone. The same female answered. In this time, I had walked out of our house so I could get reception. I had no idea who this person was but she tole me her name and asked why I didn't remember. After a few expletives, the female voice changed to a male voice in mid sentence. This male voice mocked me and I was trying to make heads and tails out of what was going on. I hung up.

I called this number back again after a few minutes. Got the same male voice and tried to distinguish which one of my friends it could have been. Didn't recognize it and hung up.

I went back to our friends house to tell them the strange thing that just happened. I called the number back again with my friends to witness but the number was apparently no longer in service. My friend tried from his phone but got the same result.

After the night was over and we were back at home, I searched the number on google. The number was apparently from CA. Don't exactly remember the city but it was southern CA. Strangely, the number was available.

Over the next few days, I told some friends about the phone calls hoping that one of them would just come out and say, "yeah, it was me, I was just ****ing around with some cool voice changer." Not one of my friends fessed up to it.

Forgot about the ordeal a week or two later.

Fast forward to tonight.

I went to the movies with my little brother. I get back home and relax here on the PC. About half an hour later, my cell phone rings. It's an area code that I don't recognize. I answer my phone and it's a male on the phone. He asks if I am Chris and identifies himself as Eddie. I think of a few Eddies that I know off the top of my head so I ask him, "Eddie who?".

He insists that it doesn't matter what his last name is. He was just calling to tell me that he had been seeing Monica, and he felt bad. He knew about the whole bros before hoes mantra. I said thanks and hung up on him.

I googled the number. It is a 516 number from Nassau NY. A land line number apparently. I don't know anyone who lives in NY.

I think that the two phone calls are the same person. I think that person must have some way to change the caller ID number and voice changing software. I would assume that this person doesn't like my girlfriend and I as a couple. Only a few people I can think of that fit that category.

Obviously there is malicious intent with these phone calls. In the first phone call the person knew my name, my girlfriends name, my place of business (where she claimed she met me) and the fact that we had been dating for over a year. Between the two phone calls, I can say that this person knows both our home phone number and my cell phone number.

Any idea on how to find out who actually called me? Would I be spending more time and money trying to find out? I'd really like to speak with this person.

Dude, are you 27 or 18? Sounds like a teenage situation.

EDIT: I didn't realize the numbers were out of state and long distance. I have no idea what the hell is going on. Sorry.

whatever the reason is, it's pretty creepy to get phone calls where people know that much about you. I don't think it has anything to do with being 18 or 27.

Dude, are you 27 or 18? Sounds like a teenage situation.

I think it's pretty immature to be calling me and alleging both myself and my girlfriends of things that aren't true. Yes.

I didn't do anything to invite such strange phone calls. I am blatantly anti-"drama". What I am asking is if there is a possible way for me to find out exactly who made those calls.

****! Why'd you have to air our business on here? :mad:

The best thing to do is wait. If they don't call back, forget about it. If they do call back, especially mroe than once, try to get as much info as you can as subtly as you can. Maybe try to get them to give details about your "affair" (or hers) and see if you can trip them up on stories each time.

Best I got, sorry bro that sucks.

I think it's pretty immature to be calling me and alleging both myself and my girlfriends of things that aren't true. Yes.

I think he meant to say that this is something 18 year old's would do, not referencing to you. He is assuming that you have friends that would be around the same age as you, which makes you think why in the world someone be doing this? At that age?

It's because it's Brass Tacks not Brass Tax. That offends the phone gods

Odd. This reminds me of something: http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/29787673/the_boy_who_heard_too_much/print

As for your interesting situation:

The guy knows you by name and knows your girlfriend by name. Also knows that you two are dating. Have you announced this to the digital world via the internet? Perhaps facebook or something similar? If not that narrows down the list of suspects to people you know or that know one of you two personally. If so it could be anyone on the planet to be honest.

The fact that he answered the call when you called back is interesting and bold on his part. Tells you right away that the number doesn't matter to him. Initial reaction is a caller ID spoof but he answered the call and it was later disconnected. That makes me think disposable cell phone. Did your caller ID give you any greater detail? Perhaps show the number as "Cell Phone CA"? If disposable cell phones is the method than what he's done is simple, buy two and simply request numbers in different states. Once the fun is done, trash it or disconnect it.

I'd change your number, run a malware scan, run a virus scan, change the passwords to every single electronic login I had, and then check my credit. You can never be 100% sure of what you are dealing with but you can "make the rounds" so to speak to limit the damage should you be dealing with something more sinister than normal. Be mindful of who you give the new numbers too and see how long it takes for the calls to resume.

99% sure it's a guy that is into her though.

****! Why'd you have to air our business on here? :mad:

:rotflmao:

Sorry. I'll ask you before I post to ES next time.

The best thing to do is wait. If they don't call back, forget about it. If they do call back, especially mroe than once, try to get as much info as you can as subtly as you can. Maybe try to get them to give details about your "affair" (or hers) and see if you can trip them up on stories each time.

Best I got, sorry bro that sucks.

Well see, that's the thing. It's happened two times now. After the first time, I forgot about it. I figured it was somebody that I knew, thought it was malicious, but didn't really care after a week or two.

Then it happened again, months later.

Both times, when it happened, it caught me so far off guard that I didn't know what else to say to try and outwit them. I suppose trying to get more details so that they will actually have to think about what they are saying is a good idea though.

You said one day that her former bf had a problem with you guys hooking up. Or he was causing problems early in ya'lls relationship. Or something like that. Maybe its that guy and he just never got over you two being together? I dunno. Its definitely strange, yes. But I would just make sure that my girl knew that I didn't cheat, and the whole thing was made up. The rest I wouldn't worry about. Seems like someone just has too much time on their hands, imo. And if this person is your age, then that's pretty sad. Time for them to grow up.

It's because it's Brass Tacks not Brass Tax. That offends the phone gods

Yeah, my girl mentioned that as she was proofreading my post (because she's the engrish genius). I failed at changing it.

Change your number.

Odd. This reminds me of something: http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/29787673/the_boy_who_heard_too_much/print

As for your interesting situation:

The guy knows you by name and knows your girlfriend by name. Also knows that you two are dating. Have you announced this to the digital world via the internet? Perhaps facebook or something similar? If not that narrows down the list of suspects to people you know or that know one of you two personally. If so it could be anyone on the planet to be honest.

The fact that he answered the call when you called back is interesting and bold on his part. Tells you right away that the number doesn't matter to him. Initial reaction is a caller ID spoof but he answered the call and it was later disconnected. That makes me think disposable cell phone. Did your caller ID give you any greater detail? Perhaps show the number as "Cell Phone CA"? If disposable cell phones is the method than what he's done is simple, buy two and simply request numbers in different states. Once the fun is done, trash it or disconnect it.

I'd change your number, run a malware scan, run a virus scan, change the passwords to every single electronic login I had, and then check my credit. You can never be 100% sure of what you are dealing with but you can "make the rounds" so to speak to limit the damage should you be dealing with something more sinister than normal. Be mindful of who you give the new numbers too and see how long it takes for the calls to resume.

Yeah, it is strange. It's the details that were said about us that makes it very odd. Details more than our names and relationship status. The fact that the person knew where I worked and the fact that we had been dating for longer than a year. The person who spoke to me the first time had knowledge of past drug habits.

We both have facebook and myspace. Information about us is out there, but at the time of the first call, I didn't have a facebook. At that point, the only people who knew the name of the business that I work at were real life friends.

I learned about caller ID spoofs and voice changing software after the first phone call. My thought was it was somebody with a VOIP line using a spoof and a voice changer. Still, a lot of money to pay just to mess with us.

You said one day that her former bf had a problem with you guys hooking up. Or he was causing problems early in ya'lls relationship. Or something like that. Maybe its that guy and he just never got over you two being together? I dunno. Its definitely strange, yes. But I would just make sure that my girl knew that I didn't cheat, and the whole thing was made up. The rest I wouldn't worry about. Seems like someone just has too much time on their hands, imo. And if this person is your age, then that's pretty sad. Time for them to grow up.

You'd be correct about the former boyfriend. I don't think he's bright enough to pull something like that off though. He isn't off the "suspect list", but I don't think he's capable of something devious like that.

And yeah, we both trust each other. Both of us know that the phone calls were bogus. It just annoys me that somebody would even do something like that.

You may want to check out this thread http://www.extremeskins.com/showthread.php?t=291469

But yea, definitely sounds like someone trying to break ya'll up.

Yeah, it is strange. It's the details that were said about us that makes it very odd. Details more than our names and relationship status. The fact that the person knew where I worked and the fact that we had been dating for longer than a year. The person who spoke to me the first time had knowledge of past drug habits.

We both have facebook and myspace. Information about us is out there, but at the time of the first call, I didn't have a facebook. At that point, the only people who knew the name of the business that I work at were real life friends.

I learned about caller ID spoofs and voice changing software after the first phone call. My thought was it was somebody with a VOIP line using a spoof and a voice changer. Still, a lot of money to pay just to mess with us.

Someone is going through a great deal of trouble to mess with your relationship. Creepy. Take it seriously and if it continues report it to the police. You never know what can happen down the road and an early police report documenting harassment could come in handy.

Change your number.

That's the easy answer, but I'd rather not have to do that.

Also, I'd rather find out who made the calls.

Someone is going through a great deal of trouble to mess with your relationship. Creepy. Take it seriously and if it continues report it to the police. You never know what can happen down the road and an early police report documenting harassment could come in handy.

+1

If it keeps happening, then I would also say it is harassment. You never know if someone takes the next step like following you home, Spying on you, threating you, etc. I would report it to the state/local police, they can get a warrant to ask the phone company to see where the number is tied to.

I haven't read the entire thread yet Springfield, but it is very easy to now purchase phone numbers with any area code you like.

Even if you are in VA, you can now make it appear like your number is anywhere in the country you choose.

Businesses now do this, so it appears as if it is a local business, yet any phone call placed to them will simply forward to their desired phone.

Creepy yes but nobody is going out of their way to **** with you.

I'm fairly certain there are i phone apps where you can make it seem like you're calling from any number. That explains the caller Id thing....and we all know there are voice modifying apps.

The fact that it all started when you were over at your neighbors house and they called your house phone in that 5 minute window you were over there would make me think it was them. Does either of them own an i Phone?

Edit: I don't know...I guess if it was your neighbors you would have been able to tell when you went back over there....:whoknows:

+1

If it keeps happening, then I would also say it is harassment. You never know if someone takes the next step like following you home, Spying on you, threating you, etc. I would report it to the state/local police, they can get a warrant to ask the phone company to see where the number is tied to.

I have a few friends in the force because of my job. Perhaps I should ask one of them for a favor.

I haven't read the entire thread yet Springfield, but it is very easy to now purchase phone numbers with any area code you like.

Yeah, I understand that it is very easy to do now. I'm sure if I cared to put in the time and effort, I could do it as well. My main concern is my ability to find out who is doing it.

The fact that it all started when you were over at your neighbors house and they called your house phone in that 5 minute window you were over there would make me think it was them. Does either of them own an i Phone?

That was my first thought as well... after the first call. Nobody there had a iPhone and I don't think they would do something like that (at least without telling me about it later). I'm a groom's man at his wedding my girlfriend is a bride's maid. They are trustworthy people.

Why not just call the police and see what they say?

Couldn't hurt, and may stop it quickly.

That was my first thought as well... after the first call. Nobody there had a iPhone and I don't think they would do something like that (at least without telling me about it later). I'm a groom's man at his wedding my girlfriend is a bride's maid. They are trustworthy people.

Yeah I'd have your friends in the force look into it. You can't be too careful....I would just like to hope/think it's one of your friends with too much time on their hands.

Sounds like someone playing a really stupid joke.

My favorite part is how they waited months in between before playing the same joke. As if it was so funny the first time they had to do it again.

Sounds like one of your friends is a dick.

Why not just call the police and see what they say?

Couldn't hurt, and may stop it quickly.

Yep. That's what I will do. It is harassment by the letter of the law so I would hope that they will be able to do something for me. The fact that I know a couple of good cops will probably help too.