# What kind of crank call / phone scam is this **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 31, 2014, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969 "2014-03-31T07:12:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/1 "2014-03-31T07:12:10Z")
I got a call from a a different area code and I said “Hello” and a woman says “Hello. Is this Brandon?” and I said “yes” and she says “Sorry. I have the wrong number” and hangs up weird wth is that about? ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/2 "2014-03-31T10:48:20Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > I got a call from a a different area code and I said “Hello” and a woman says “Hello. Is this Brandon?” and I said “yes” and she says “Sorry. I have the wrong number” and hangs up > > weird wth is that about? You replied with the wrong answer. [spoiler] The correct answer is, “No… this is his Crow. At the “Caw”, leave your name & message and he’ll get back to you…” [/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/3 "2014-03-31T10:57:26Z")
My guess is that you didn’t sound like the Brandon that she was trying to ring. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 11:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/4 "2014-03-31T11:26:14Z")
Or she’d put out a contract on Brandon and didn’t expect him to be alive to answer… is there anyone particularly ticked off at you?? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/5 "2014-03-31T12:14:07Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > I got a call from a a different area code and I said “Hello” and a woman says “Hello. Is this Brandon?” and I said “yes” and she says “Sorry. I have the wrong number” and hangs up > > weird wth is that about? She was verifying your name and/or number. Process server, bill collector or private investigator would be my first guess. Before the call, she was uncertain. Perhaps the number had been reassigned, but now she knows it is valid, and yours. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/6 "2014-03-31T12:42:32Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > She was verifying your name and/or number. Process server, bill collector or private investigator would be my first guess. _Possibly_, but I’m not sure. Why would she neglect to ascertain whether or not his refrigerator is running? There’s got to be more to this story. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/7 "2014-03-31T13:00:38Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > _Possibly_, but I’m not sure. Why would she neglect to ascertain whether or not his refrigerator is running? > There’s got to be more to this story. You’re supposing this was a prank call? Why not a serious one? I’ve used exactly the same technique to find out if a number was valid, although I would blank out my Caller ID first. **PSXer,** can you check the Caller ID? If only a number is supplied, Google for it. ---
**Author:** ![Ace309](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ace309/32/1050_2.png) [@Ace309](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ace309)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/8 "2014-03-31T13:01:11Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > _Possibly_, but I’m not sure. Why would she neglect to ascertain whether or not his refrigerator is running? > There’s got to be more to this story. It’s no big deal. Her friend just wants to know. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/9 "2014-03-31T13:02:36Z")
I googled the number it’s a residential address in the phone book ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/10 "2014-03-31T13:07:04Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > I got a call from a a different area code and I said “Hello” and a woman says “Hello. Is this Brandon?” and I said “yes” and she says “Sorry. I have the wrong number” and hangs up > > weird wth is that about? Clearly she was calling someone not named Brandon. ---
**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:** [March 31, 2014, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/11 "2014-03-31T20:58:01Z")
> [@Musicat](#): > > She was verifying your name and/or number. Process server, bill collector or private investigator would be my first guess. > > Before the call, she was uncertain. Perhaps the number had been reassigned, but now she knows it is valid, and yours. Yeah, but would his first name be sufficient for that? ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/12 "2014-03-31T21:53:02Z")
I used to get calls where I would answer and a recorded voice would say, “I’m sorry; I have the wrong number” (I’m not entirely sure of the purpose - either it was trying to catch a FAX machine, or it was used by somebody to determine which numbers are answered at which times of day; I also used to get some with brass music playing.) This could be similar to that, with the caller expecting you to answer, “There’s no Brandon here.” ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/13 "2014-03-31T21:59:01Z")
I always thought you seemed like a Brandon. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2014, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/14 "2014-03-31T22:45:43Z")
What makes you think Brandon’s a person? She may have been calling Brandon, Manitoba. ---
**Author:** ![tenacious\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tenacious\_j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tenacious_j)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/15 "2014-04-01T02:31:48Z")
Do you know people in that area code, whose numbers might not be in your memory? My MIL used to do that when she got older. She’ call, ask if it was me and when I said yes she’d say she had the wrong number. Turns out she had meant to call another relative but got mixed up when recalling the number. She never said “sorry, i’m trying to call your aunt Bea,” just “wrong number.” ---
**Author:** ![LiliesOfTheField](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c0e974/32.png) [@LiliesOfTheField](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiliesOfTheField)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/16 "2014-04-01T07:40:17Z")
There is a scam in which the caller will trick you into saying the word “yes” and then use the recording of you saying “yes” to fraudulently “prove” you desired to sign up for some kind of service. A few years back, I got a phone call in which a recorded voice asked if [my name] was available. Like an idiot I replied “yes”. The recorded voice said “I didn’t catch that. Is [my name] available” I replied “yes”. When the recording tried a third time, I got annoyed and hung up. Lo and behold the following month I was signed up for all manner of services through my bank and phone company. Luckily I got them all cancelled and charges reversed. The representatives didn’t even hassle me a little about canceling, so I think they knew that someone they contracted with was being sketchy. I found out about this scam on some website, and since then, when someone asks for me by name on the phone, I respond with the word “speaking.” Since you were talking with what sounded like a live person and they didn’t ask you multiple times, I don’t know if this is the same thing, but I’d suggest you keep an eye on your utilities and be sure no one added any extras to them. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/17 "2014-04-01T12:47:21Z")
> [@LiliesOfTheField](#): > > I found out about this scam on some website, and since then, when someone asks for me by name on the phone, I respond with the word “speaking.” My response when I answer and someone asks if it’s me, is to say “Who’s calling?”. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/18 "2014-04-01T12:54:01Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Yeah, but would his first name be sufficient for that? Might be close enough. If the phone number had been reassigned, it’s unlikely to belong to someone with the same first name. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/19 "2014-04-01T12:55:39Z")
Years ago I answered the phone and a voice on the other end said “Doug?” I said “Yes.”, and then they started rambling about something they apparently expected me to know about. When I got a chance to interrupt I said “what Doug are you looking for?” Turned out to be a wrong number that just happened to have the same first name. ---
**Author:** ![Tess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@Tess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tess)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2014, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969/20 "2014-04-01T23:12:04Z")
Maybe someone you spoke to previously has an overly suspicious wife/girlfriend? She wants to know about an unfamiliar number on the phone bill, he explains it’s not some other woman, he called Brandon about something. She dials your number expecting to find “Brandon” is really “Brandee-the-shameless-hussy.” When she finds out you’re really you, she ends the call quickly [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-kind-of-crank-call-phone-scam-is-this/684969.md?page=2)