How did they get my cell #?

[Amethyst]

I use my smartphone much less than most people - only a few people even have my #. Couple of close relatives; main contractor for our kitchen; the electric company, for alerts.
I don't play games, or use any more apps than strictly necessary.

So...I got a text from a 738 (NC) exchange (not that it means much; mine has a Maryland exchange). No name given. Wanted to know if I could connect them with the owner of a certain home address in FL that they're very interested in.

I have a notion why my name and that address might be linked in public records, though it's a very long, very ancient shot. But how did they get my cell #? There isn't any directory for cell #'s, or is there?

 

[MichaelB]

If you included your cell phone number in many types of filings in Florida, such as yearly car registration renewal, it becomes public information and can be accessed by anyone.

 

[Amethyst]

Point taken. But we have a regular home phone and that's what I use for everything. The only place that has my cell is the dental office, because they needed it to call us into the office during COVID.

If you included your cell phone number in many types of filings in Florida, such as yearly car registration renewal, it becomes public information and can be accessed by anyone.

 

[Souschef]

I have been getting the usual auto warranty robocalls on my smartphone, but one yesterday really disturbed me.
I had made a transaction with my broker yesterday, and I got a text last night supposedly from my broker. There was a link I was supposed to click on that ended in .ru, so NO WAY was i going to click on it. I googled the phone number, and it was from India!

I would really like to know what happened, and how they knew I had a brokerage account.

 

[ivinsfan]

I have been getting the usual auto warranty robocalls on my smartphone, but one yesterday really disturbed me.
I had made a transaction with my broker yesterday, and I got a text last night supposedly from my broker. There was a link I was supposed to click on that ended in .ru, so NO WAY was i going to click on it. I googled the phone number, and it was from India!

I would really like to know what happened, and how they knew I had a brokerage account.

Oh geez, but I don't any of my financial places that send links by text.

 

[jazz4cash]

Sounds random to me. Maybe just an attempt to generate a call or text back. If you respond you move up the list from suspect to prospect for whatever they’re up to. How do they know it’s “you”….because you have a connection to some address?

 

[rk911]

I use my smartphone much less than most people - only a few people even have my #. Couple of close relatives; main contractor for our kitchen; the electric company, for alerts.
I don't play games, or use any more apps than strictly necessary.

So...I got a text from a 738 (NC) exchange (not that it means much; mine has a Maryland exchange). No name given. Wanted to know if I could connect them with the owner of a certain home address in FL that they're very interested in.

I have a notion why my name and that address might be linked in public records, though it's a very long, very ancient shot. But how did they get my cell #? There isn't any directory for cell #'s, or is there?

could be old school "war dialing...738-(xxx)-0001, 0002, 0003, etc.

 

[Koolau]

could be old school "war dialing...738-(xxx)-0001, 0002, 0003, etc.

Yeah, I get robo calls (I assume) all the time. No longer answer any number not in my register so can't be sure, but the ACs are from all over. Occasionally, the robot leaves a message and it's always a sales pitch or obvious scam ("you are about to be turned over to a collection agency, etc.....) I just assume it's a robot that tries every number in the AC (before moving on to the next AC.) Who knows, really. I get a few texts as well, but they are so obviously scams that they are easy to deal with. YMMV

 

[ivinsfan]

could be old school "war dialing...738-(xxx)-0001, 0002, 0003, etc.

Not sure this is true. About 4 years ago I got a new cell number...for 18 months not one single crap call. For another 18 very seldom got any and now I get a my as my DH.

 

[MichaelB]

It sounds to me the issue Amethyst is describing is not robocalling. Something similar has happened to us this past year when we were bombarded with realtor calls (>50) asking about a property we rented 15 years ago. Clearly some filing included the phone number, which is easily accessed by interested parties.

We also get the occasional call from a realtor offering to buy our current home. I do know that every time I fill out an online form for some state or local gov’t purpose, a screen comes up to alert me that the info provided is public and accessible.

Perhaps this is a sign too many realtors are starved for leads.

 

[OldShooter]

... So...I got a text from a 738 (NC) exchange (not that it means much; mine has a Maryland exchange). No name given. Wanted to know if I could connect them with the owner of a certain home address in FL that they're very interested in. ...

Hanlon's razor: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity"

Caller misdialed.

 

[ivinsfan]

Hanlon's razor: "Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity"

Caller misdialed.

Except poster says there is a reason someone might connect her with that property.

 

[ERD50]

It sounds to me the issue Amethyst is describing is not robocalling. Something similar has happened to us this past year when we were bombarded with realtor calls (>50) asking about a property we rented 15 years ago. ...

Except poster says there is a reason someone might connect her with that property.

Our son recently bought/sold houses, and we started getting calls from realtors or real estate related for him even though he hasn't lived here for over 10 years.


I guess that was the number coming up on public records, it's a VOIP number we ported from our landline years ago, so that's been our number for 30 years.

-ERD50

 

[retire-early]

This is why I have 4 actual cell phone numbers + 2 Google Voice numbers.
1. a number that I have had 20+ years that is on my resume that is also on record with some financial institutions.
2. a number that I have had 10+ years that is also on record with some financial institutions
3. a number that I use for some apps that are controlled with an app
4. a number from a new smartphone

I have a landline number but I don't use it.

I keep the smartphones with #1, #2, #3 at home.

 

[easysurfer]

I have my cell screened to allow only people on my contact list to get through. The rest goes to voicemail and the majority of robocalls and telemarketers that call hang up before leaving any voice mail.

I can't say the same about text though as I notice an increase of real estate texts and addressing my by my first name. So, they must have got my name/number from somewhere.

 

[bloom2708]

You know you made it when you get a call or text spam from your own number.

I'd say random number calling is most likely.

 

[scrabbler1]

I also get those junk texts from realtors saying, "I just drove by your place and wonder if you are looking to sell it....." But they are always from alleged realtors located hundreds, if not thousands of miles away. I live in an apartment building, too, so it isn't like they can actually "see" my living space from the outside.

I was getting lots of calls and some texts from the former owner of my cell phone number (I have had mine since early 2015) but it appears those have finally gone away. It has been at least a year since one of those junk calls or texts included his name in them.

Like you, Amethyst, I have given my cell phone number to only a few people, with orders not to call me unless they can't get me on the land line (or they know I am out).

My theory is that it's a robodialer of they got the area code wrong with a correct 7-digit number.

 

[CRLLS]

No telling how they connect the dots. While not phone related, not too long ago we received a piece of mail addressed to my son at our address. Mind you, he has been out on his own for 22 years now and never lived at our current address. We've been living here 16 years now.

Have you ever done an internet search on yourself using just a name and the name of a town you once lived in? It is amazing how much data is out there. Some of it true some of it is just plain out wrong.

A quick search just got me my telephone numbers, My current address (along with all of my previous addresses back over 45 years ago, my high school and graduating year, my family and one more person at my house I don't know, possibly a family member

 

[Amethyst]

If it's an error or shot in the dark, it's an oddly pointed one. Let's just say that I recognize the property address, was there in the distant past (but never lived there or listed it as an address), and the person they are trying to reach was, many years ago, known to me. But is not a relative.

Except poster says there is a reason someone might connect her with that property.

 

[ivinsfan]

If it's an error or shot in the dark, it's an oddly pointed one. Let's just say that I recognize the property address, was there in the distant past (but never lived there or listed it as an address), and the person they are trying to reach was, many years ago, known to me. But is not a relative.

They are really, really good aren't they. Just imagine how good they will be in ten years.

 

[Amethyst]

Intelius, a database which correlates public records, is how they connect the dots. Intelius has different levels of access. Anybody can do a people search online for free, and get your name, age, address, and (if listed) phone #. Real estate agents, detectives, and others can pay for deeper access.

(I don't know much more than that).

If the call had come to our landline, it would not have puzzled me at all.

No telling how they connect the dots.

Have you ever done an internet search on yourself using just a name and the name of a town you once lived in? It is amazing how much data is out there. Some of it true some of it is just plain out wrong.

A quick search just got me my telephone numbers, My current address (along with all of my previous addresses back over 45 years ago, my high school and graduating year, my family and one more person at my house I don't know, possibly a family member

 

[athena53]

I found my cell # in my late husband's credit records after he died. I'd reported his death to the 3 major bureaus and one sent me a copy of his credit report. All I can figure is that he provided it to a hospital or doctor as an emergency contact- he didn't have a cell phone and didn't want one. I'm very protective of that number and was really annoyed that it got put into the credit records.

 

[W2R]

For the first few years that I had my cell phone, I never, ever got spam. I never gave my cell phone to anybody except a handful of friends and relatives. Doctors' offices and such only got my landline. So, I got spam on my landline, but never on my cell phone.

Then, I wanted a flu vaccination at CVS (who only had my landline). CVS *insisted* on getting my cell phone number too, before they would give me the flu shot. I said no, there was no reason for it. They said "oh but yes there is, Medicare requires that we get both your landline and cell phone number before we vaccinate you!" I think that is a load of baloney but gave it to them. A week or two later, I started getting frequent spam calls which continue to this day.

I think it was not CVS, but their employee who probably sold my cell phone number and it ended up in some sort of spammers' database. But then, that is just my speculation. Who knows how cell phone numbers get spread around.

 

[Gumby]

....Who knows how cell phone numbers get spread around.

I'm sure it was Tommy Tutone.

 

[W2R]

I'm sure it was Tommy Tutone.

That must be it! Why didn't I think of that