# Phone numbers in contact information **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 8, 2022, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-numbers-in-contact-information/967641 "2022-07-08T22:33:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![anny\_m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@anny\_m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anny_m)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-numbers-in-contact-information/967641/1 "2022-07-08T22:33:16Z")
I have the impression this is one of those, “Of course! Boy, am I stupid!” questions. A person we do business with (who recently replaced the one we had been doing business with) sent us his contact information. There were three numbers listed, like this: m.(555) 123-4231 | f. (555) 123-4097 | p.(555) 123-5036 I’m guessing the “f” number is the fax number. Is “m” the main number or the mobile number? Is “p” his home phone or other personal number? He’s a financial advisor, so I’m not sure why we’d need his personal number. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-numbers-in-contact-information/967641/2 "2022-07-08T22:40:22Z")
Check the M number. See if it goes directly to his business (possibly even a front desk/operator). I’m thinking, especially due to the order they’re listed in, that it’s Main, Fax, Private/Personal. If the M number is a main number, the private/personal would be his direct number. Generally, I would have assumed m is mobile, and p is phone, that it’s listed first is throwing me. I’d work on the assumption that, unless told different, use the first number on the card to call him. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-numbers-in-contact-information/967641/3 "2022-07-08T22:41:09Z")
I would have guess m for mobile and f for fax, but the p puzzles me. Perhaps m for main, f for fax and p for “p.m.” - is the business one that you might want to call after hours? ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2022, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-numbers-in-contact-information/967641/4 "2022-07-09T11:40:34Z")
I have seen similar listings and, in my experience, the P is Personal. mmm ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2022, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-numbers-in-contact-information/967641/5 "2022-07-09T17:06:18Z")
Years ago, I would have guessed that “p” meant pager. Not anymore, man. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2022, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-numbers-in-contact-information/967641/6 "2022-07-09T21:33:06Z")
I’d find a new Financial Advisor! This guy uses internal jargon just for contact information; that isn’t clear to his customers? One of the main jobs of a financial advisor is explaining the complications of financial decisions to non-expert customers, in ways that they can understand. This guy doesn’t seem to have that mindset at all. Find somebody else. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2022, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-numbers-in-contact-information/967641/7 "2022-07-09T21:42:42Z")
> [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](#): > > I’d find a new Financial Advisor Dump him just for having a fax. ---
**Author:** ![LegendHasit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/legendhasit/32/8246_2.png) [@LegendHasit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LegendHasit)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2022, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-numbers-in-contact-information/967641/8 "2022-07-09T22:20:25Z")
p/o: office phone m: mobile ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2022, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-numbers-in-contact-information/967641/9 "2022-07-10T03:57:55Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > > [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](#): > > > > I’d find a new Financial Advisor ⁢ > > Dump him just for having a fax. ⁢ I’d expect that to be far more common in finance. It seems like tons of documents I’ve received have a fax option, just like when dealing with medical stuff. ---
**Author:** ![anny\_m](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/96bed5/32.png) [@anny\_m](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anny_m)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2022, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-numbers-in-contact-information/967641/10 "2022-07-10T21:34:29Z")
Thanks for all the responses. I don’t think I’ll worry about what number to call, since the need to call him is pretty infrequent. He’s not our major advisor – just our contact at the company at which we have this odd annuity product. I think financial types keep fax numbers because sometimes they need a copy of a signed (and perhaps notarized) document. I would guess a lot of their clients don’t have the ability to scan and email documents. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2022, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-numbers-in-contact-information/967641/11 "2022-07-11T15:59:01Z")
I wouldn’t assume anything about what kind of phone it is based on the letter, but I would assume that the first number listed is the primary one to use.