Wrong number and data protection/legal issues

dubscottie

Ill keep it brief,
I have a fairly unusual mobile number. Had it for the last 13 odd years.

About 4-5 years ago I started to get regular calls from a Garda station in Dublin at all hours of the day and night. Never any voice mail bar one that had someone shouting "he is in the bushes".

I phoned the station to ask what was going on, gave details etc and they presumed that the had taken a number for a Garda, on-call solicitor/doctor down wrong.

Ignored the calls and they stopped.

However in the last few weeks I have had a few "unknown number" calls (that I never answer anyway) and they have left voice mails.

In the voice mails there are details (name, address etc) of persons arrested and something about consent for prints as the person is under age or something..

Who would I go to to get these calls to stop. I don't want to change number as I have had it for years.

As I said I am not sure if they think they are calling a Garda or a solicitor?

MarkAnthony

Call the person back?

dubscottie

MarkAnthony wrote: »

Call the person back?

I called the Garda station.. Wont help.

And the other is a unknown number.. I cant call an unknown number.

MarkAnthony

Sorry, thought they would have left contact details in the voice mail. Have you tried answering it and telling them its a wrong number.

dubscottie

I have but they hang up as soon as I answer. They are looking for a female and as soon as I answer (male) they must cop they have the wrong number.

I have the name, address etc for 2 teenagers that got lifted in Dublin because of them not being able to dial/write down a number right. Thats why I wonder if its a data protection thing.

And as I said, you would need to be an idiot to get my number wrong. And it usualy says "you have reached the voicemail for 08xxxxxxx" Surley they should cop on that they have dialed wrong then?

MarkAnthony

I think you've hit on the answer here. Change the voicemail message for a few days. Hopefully it's a personal voice mail not a business. Have to admit I'd have a bit of fun with it.

Data protection people and the ombudsman if you're getting no joy from the station. You might need to go in and insist on speaking to someone in authority.

Taboola

How did you know it was Garda Station ringing you? I thought all Garda numbers were private.

Call me Al

dubscottie wrote: »

I have but they hang up as soon as I answer. They are looking for a female and as soon as I answer (male) they must cop they have the wrong number.

I have the name, address etc for 2 teenagers that got lifted in Dublin because of them not being able to dial/write down a number right. Thats why I wonder if its a data protection thing.

And as I said, you would need to be an idiot to get my number wrong. And it usualy says "you have reached the voicemail for 08xxxxxxx" Surley they should cop on that they have dialed wrong then?

So why don't you phone them and explain? I know they hang up when you answer their call but they should answer when you call them.

GerardKeating

Call me Al wrote: »

So why don't you phone them and explain? I know they hang up when you answer their call but they should answer when you call them.

The OP mentioned that there is no Caller ID.

Typer Monkey

Surely when they're leaving a voicemail on your phone it starts with 'Hi X, it's Y from Z Garda Station'? No?

Little CuChulainn

It's possible the arrested person gave the wrong number for their solicitor or that the station has the wrong number for the solicitor on file. In such a case though they would be telling you what station to ring so maybe not. I'd write to your local Superintendent outlining the most recent calls and the information you received on them. I'd say the issue will be sorted quick enough then.

dubscottie

I seem to be getting 2 lots of calls. One is from the Garda station (it shows on caller ID.. All stations in Dublin start 01 666 xxxx. A quick google told me which one it was and as I said in the OP, I phoned them but they were not interested.

The second lot and the ones leaving the voicemails, are coming from a withheld number.

I listened back to the 2 voicemails I still have on the phone and its just (not real names) "Hi Mary its Joan, I have xxx with regard to xxx of xxxx of Dublin xx, Etc.

No mention of a company if a solicitor or rank if they are Garda.

Ill try contacting the Superintendent of that district and see what happens.

MarkAnthony

If the station aren't interested I would try and go down there (pain in the arse I know...) and speak to someone. Make it clear that you don;t want to take it further but you will if needed. I'd also point out that it would be very easy for you to send a text to the prisoners concerned and co-operate fully with their solicitors if the need arises.

Little CuChulainn

The op might be nowhere near the station though. If you want to ring the station and look for the member in charge you'd probably get a better response than a random Garda.

aphex™

Change your voice mail greeting to your own male voice and they won't leave any more messages as they are looking for a female voice?
I think you lot are over complicating things here.

dubscottie

aphex™ wrote: »

Change your voice mail greeting to your own male voice and they won't leave any more messages as they are looking for a female voice?
I think you lot are over complicating things here.

If it was that simple I would.

My mobile number, if dialed wrong, is the same as some domestic South African numbers..

Some of the previous voicemail have been left without ringing (I used to do it at work if you just wanted to leave a message).

I posted a letter and a cd with the voice mails to that stations Superintendent today.

The data protection worry is that I now know the name of a minors and DOB, offence etc.

I know the courts don't allow newspapers to report these things, but as I have "accidentally obtained" info,, would that have any bearing on a court case?

Ill see what happens and keep you posted!

dubscottie

Edit.. Another one now.. Have a name! So will call back in the morning..

Little CuChulainn

dubscottie wrote: »

If it was that simple I would.

My mobile number, if dialed wrong, is the same as some domestic South African numbers..

Some of the previous voicemail have been left without ringing (I used to do it at work if you just wanted to leave a message).

I posted a letter and a cd with the voice mails to that stations Superintendent today.

The data protection worry is that I now know the name of a minors and DOB, offence etc.

I know the courts don't allow newspapers to report these things, but as I have "accidentally obtained" info,, would that have any bearing on a court case?

Ill see what happens and keep you posted!

Unlikely to affect a criminal case against the people names but could give them a civil action against the state.

dubscottie wrote: »

Edit.. Another one now.. Have a name! So will call back in the morning..

You have a name of who they are looking for or who is making the call?

aphex™

dubscottie wrote: »

My mobile number, if dialed wrong, is the same as some domestic South African numbers..

Irrelevant...

dubscottie wrote: »

Some of the previous voicemail have been left without ringing (I used to do it at work if you just wanted to leave a message).

Same here, still plays the voicemail greeting if you dial 087+5+rest of number.
No idea what your points above are.
I can't help but think if you haven't changed your voicemail greeting to say "Hi this is Scottie, leave a message" you're playing this up for some reason.

dubscottie wrote:

The data protection worry is that I now know the name of a minors and DOB, offence etc.

You shouldn't worry about other people's data protection, esp if you can just delete the messages yourself.
Instead, you've made recordings to make a scene out of the whole thing for what reason I do not know.

dubscottie wrote: »

I know the courts don't allow newspapers to report these things, but as I have "accidentally obtained" info,, would that have any bearing on a court case?

No bearing as your voicemail isn't "public"

dubscottie wrote: »

Ill see what happens and keep you posted!

Just change your voicemail greeting, dude.

jimmycrackcorm

The simplest and probably most effective way to deal with this is to use an app to redirect calls from the station an unknown numbers calls back to the station. They'll soon learn once they get those calls themselves.

dubscottie

aphex™ wrote: »

Irrelevant...

Same here, still plays the voicemail greeting if you dial 087+5+rest of number.
No idea what your points above are.
I can't help but think if you haven't changed your voicemail greeting to say "Hi this is Scottie, leave a message" you're playing this up for some reason.


You shouldn't worry about other people's data protection, esp if you can just delete the messages yourself.
Instead, you've made recordings to make a scene out of the whole thing for what reason I do not know.
No bearing as your voicemail isn't "public"

Just change your voicemail greeting, dude.

Well I wont post here again.. You have some attitude on you..

Sure I will just live with the phone going off at 3 or 4 am..

Changing my voice mail greeting wont stop them calling in the first place.