100,000 hoax calls prompt plea from Dublin Zoo

useful_contacts · 24-04-2008 08:51PM #1

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20080424/tod-ireland-animal-offbeat-7f81b96.html

Anyone else geta message like this, i did off a mate who thought it was funny but i saw through it at once(cos hes a pratical joker) Orginally thought it was a sex line no he was sending me:D

So did you get the text? And did you call the "Zoo"

Sherifu · 24-04-2008 08:53PM

Not yet.

DUBLIN (AFP) - Dublin Zoo appealed to the public on Thursday not to be taken in by hoax text messages that have led to its switchboard being jammed by an estimated 100,000 calls in two weeks.

People are receiving text messages to their mobile phones asking them to ring the zoo's number for an "urgent message."

The texts are signed with names like G. Raffe, C. Lion, Rory Lyons and Anna Conda.

"This is proving to be a very serious waste of our time and resources," the zoo said.

The zoo's marketing manager Veronica Crisp told RTE state radio they had previously got hoax calls on a few days of the year like April Fool's Day but the current situation "was getting out of hand."

"It might be kind of funny the first few times but we have lost our sense of humour now with calls coming in at a rate of about 13 a minute. The system is pretty much choked," she said.

Crisp said the police and Ireland's communications watchdog had been unable to help.

Smellyirishman · 24-04-2008 08:57PM

Girlfriend told me one Rory Lyons had called for me. Totally fell for it and didn't even cop on (in fairness, I was distracted).

"Eh, that's the number to Dublin Zoo" ...... "ooooohhhhhhh".

Thankfully they were closed at that stage.

useful_contacts · 24-04-2008 09:02PM

Smellyirishman wrote: »

Girlfriend told me one Rory Lyons had called for me.

I got the same name though knew at once was a hoax, why would someone call my mates phone looking for me!:rolleyes:

truecrippler · 24-04-2008 09:12PM

Can't believe that many people have fallen for those names. Jahsus!

BlitzKrieg · 24-04-2008 09:16PM

is there a rehab version?

I got misscall last night from a drug rehab centre very confusing conversation with them this morning.

silvine · 25-04-2008 11:53AM

That's the funniest thing I've heard all month! Have many people here got those texts?

CJay · 25-04-2008 12:01PM

I can't believe people are falling for it?

silvine · 25-04-2008 12:07PM

I rang the zoo there to listen to the helpline. It rang out. Is this stunt to drum up business?

25-04-2008 12:34PM

My thread failed and this didn't.

Anger, hate , rage , resentment ETC ETC

po0k · 25-04-2008 12:43PM

I read 5000 calls, not 100,000.

GhostInTheRuins · 25-04-2008 01:21PM

po0k wrote: »

I read 5000 calls, not 100,000.

100,000 calls seems a bit much no?

ronnie3585 · 25-04-2008 01:24PM

100,000 calls seems a bit much no?

I thought that too. Either way its bloody hilarious!

I remember doing prank phone calls using some of those names when I was in 6th class in primary school - good times!

Einstein · 25-04-2008 01:25PM

with a marketing manager named Veronica Crisp - what do they expect...

wonder what her nickname is

25-04-2008 01:32PM

Einstein wrote: »

with a marketing manager named Veronica Crisp - what do they expect...

wonder what her nickname is

We have found Mrs. Tayto !

pebbles21 · 25-04-2008 01:34PM

got a girl in the office to call back " mike hunt" who was looking for her !gave her the number of a gynecologist:D

Sizzler · 25-04-2008 01:34PM

Watch out for a similar story next week featuring please from Michael Guiney's CEO pleading with the public to stop calling their shops and asking to speak to Annette Curtin

sidneykidney · 25-04-2008 01:35PM

Got the text and like a fool yes i rang the number( i was looking for annie lyons):o

JohnCleary · 25-04-2008 01:42PM

sidneykidney wrote: »

Got the text and like a fool yes i rang the number( i was looking for annie lyons):o

roffle this thread has me cracking up

What exactly did the message say? Was it a txt?

sidneykidney · 25-04-2008 01:47PM

It was from a mate telling me a woman had called him looking for me(why would she call him) and i was to call her back as soon as,it was the zoo's number and i was to ask for annie lyons. Hindsight is a great thing

The_B_Man · 25-04-2008 01:51PM

i work wit a woman by that name...

sidneykidney · 25-04-2008 01:54PM

In the zoo by any chance:pac:

The_B_Man · 25-04-2008 02:12PM

close. a pharmaceutical company...:o

missmatty · 25-04-2008 03:04PM

I wouldn't have fallen for that, thanks be to god.

I used to work in the zoo so would've recognised the number

Sizzler · 25-04-2008 04:25PM

missmatty wrote: »

I wouldn't have fallen for that, thanks be to god.

I used to work in the zoo so would've recognised the number

Plenty of monkeying around? Did you have a penguin with your tea at lunch ?

Did you try and ape your manager?

Did you find yourself lion around?

*gets coat*

Schism · 25-04-2008 04:33PM

Sizzler wrote: »

Plenty of monkeying around? Did you have a penguin with your tea at lunch ?

Did you try and ape your manager?

Did you find yourself lion around?

*gets coat*

I love it, more more!

sidneykidney · 25-04-2008 04:39PM

Schism wrote: »

I love it, more more!

+1 keep them coming,but no monkey business:rolleyes:

Pigletlover · 25-04-2008 04:43PM

po0k wrote: »

I read 5000 calls, not 100,000.

Apparently it was 5,000 a day :eek:

Maximilian · 25-04-2008 05:07PM

I wonder who the hell was behind it? I presume an awful lot of text messages were sent.

I'm glad I resisted the urge to write "txt msgs" just there. Although admittedly I almost immediately gave into that same urge. A small victory for self-control nevertheless.

skelliser · 25-04-2008 05:20PM

Pigletlover wrote: »

Apparently it was 5,000 a day :eek:

they were on joe duffy yesterday and they said they have been gettin on average 5,000 calls a day for the last 2 weeks, they cant get any work done etc.
it was funny at the start but now its no joke cause of all the resources wasted, they also said they were onto the gaurds but there is little they can do about it.

Slidey · 25-04-2008 06:50PM

Agh i got caught as well, boss rang me and said that there was a call at the garage for me.
I was on a course but i was to ring them back at their office in dublin and ask for "eammon key" grrrrr

100,000 hoax calls prompt plea from Dublin Zoo

Comments