Garda keeps giving my phone number out and not there own.

prinzeugen · 27-02-2020 1:28am #1

As The title says, a member of the Garda keeps giving my mobile to people rather than their own.

I have, what must be, one of the simplest mobile numbers in the country. You would need to be an idiot to get it wrong.

However over the past few years I have received numerous calls and voicemails from people looking for this person. I know where they came from, live, kids, health issues etc all from the voicemails.

I posted here before about a voicemail that contained specific details about a case and contacted the station that this Garda was based and was promised it would not happen again.

However in the last 24 hrs I have received numerous calls and voicemails from members of the public looking for this Garda. One of the voicemails again contained personal details of a victim of crime.

Obviously speaking to them didn't work so who do I go to next? GSOC or the Data Protection Commissioner?

Effects · 27-02-2020 1:35am

What's your number?

prinzeugen · 27-02-2020 2:11am

Effects wrote: »

What's your number?

I will give you a clue.. Its is between 0850000001 & 0879999999

sugarman wrote: »

It probably was their number and reissued to you. It happens.

I have had this mobile number for the last 20 years and was the first to be issued with it.

endacl · 27-02-2020 2:14am

If it’s an easy mistake to make re the number, perhaps it’s the callers making it and not the error of the guard who gave it out?

Happens me a lot. If you switch the last two digits of my number, you’ll get through to ‘Tommy’. I’ve no idea who Tommy is, but I regularly get messages for him!

prinzeugen · 27-02-2020 2:25am

endacl wrote: »

If it’s an easy mistake to make re the number, perhaps it’s the callers making it and not the error of the guard who gave it out?

Happens me a lot. If you switch the last two digits of my number, you’ll get through to ‘Tommy’. I’ve no idea who Tommy is, but I regularly get messages for him!

Its not an easy mistake to make. As I said my number is so, so simple. If I was to give even a little hint as to what format it is, I could potentially identify myself here.

I have had schools, The courts, Garda stations (at all hours of the night), solicitors (again at all hours of the night), doctors, estate agents, schools, and now members of the public calling me. I had to explain to one guy that this cop keeps getting it wrong and to call xxxx Garda station in Dublin.

antix80 · 27-02-2020 2:30am

I used to have a great email address with o2. 2 letters before the at symbol. Basically along the lines of eg@o2.ie

It was so great, it got 100 spam emails every day. Probably a combination of its simplicity and o2's nonexistent junk mail filter.

Needless to say, I stopped using it.

Peatys · 27-02-2020 2:33am

prinzeugen wrote: »

Its not an easy mistake to make. As I said my number is so, so simple. If I was to give even a little hint as to what format it is, I could potentially identify myself here.

You think he's doing it on purpose?

endacl · 27-02-2020 2:34am

Just answer with, ‘feck off and sort it out yourself. I’ve no interest in dealing with you*’. Don’t identify yourself. Once the complaints start rolling in to the station the problem will be sorted.

* Technically true. And technically true is, as we all know, the best kind of true.

ohnonotgmail · 27-02-2020 10:19am

Does it have the same digit 3 times in a row? Mine does and i get wrong numbers all the time due to how the networks handle misdialed numbers.

Victor · 27-02-2020 10:26am

endacl wrote: »

If it’s an easy mistake to make re the number, perhaps it’s the callers making it and not the error of the guard who gave it out?

Each network has 10 million potential numbers. This is unlikely.

27-02-2020 1:18pm

Have a chat with the superintendent of the station, explain and it should be sorted.
Garda issued mobile phones have a distinct first 3 digits.
If necessary ask the super to get the telecomms tech for that station to be involved and it should get sorted.
It may just be a wrong speed dial number, a wrongly written listing or some other problem.

EICVD · 27-02-2020 1:22pm

Or maybe you could, get a new number...

mlem123 · 27-02-2020 2:05pm

EICVD wrote: »

Or maybe you could, get a new number...

OP said he's used this number for 20 years, why should he change it when some useless Garda can't even remember his own number?

Bikerman2019 · 27-02-2020 2:42pm

EICVD wrote: »

Or maybe you could, get a new number...

Why should he?

Grab All Association · 27-02-2020 2:54pm

It also could be the station/another member(s) of AGS giving out this number to people thinking it belongs to that garda. Could have saved his number incorrectly on their phone, typo on a a4 printout taped to the desk etc

Contact the super at the Garda station explain to them what is happening. If that doesn't work then Data Protection Commission and Department of Justice complaint

05eaftqbrs9jlh · 27-02-2020 5:47pm

I bet that Garda is giving the easy to remember number out when he wants people to go away and leave him alone. Could you ring the Gardaí? It might get sorted if you contact this Garda I know, he said his number was 0871234567.

Sounds like a very serious issue though if you're getting people's confidential details. I wish I could give you some useful information. Surely there's a Garda SOMEWHERE on boards who could help!! Ringing the superintendent didn't work, no?

AndrewJRenko · 27-02-2020 5:56pm

endacl wrote: »

Just answer with, ‘feck off and sort it out yourself. I’ve no interest in dealing with you*’. Don’t identify yourself. Once the complaints start rolling in to the station the problem will be sorted.

* Technically true. And technically true is, as we all know, the best kind of true.

Or take the opposite approach - answer every call and faithfully promise to sort out the matter and call out to visit the caller with more details and waive all the tickets or whatever they are asking you to do - then do nothing.

We used to have a landline that was similar to a local taxi firm. When we got bored with telling people it was a wrong number, we started accepting their bookings.

27-02-2020 5:59pm

mlem123 wrote: »

OP said he's used this number for 20 years, why should he change it when some useless Garda can't even remember his own number?

How do you know it's the Gardas fault?
Maybe the numbers are extremely close & the people calling it are making the mistake?

tuxy · 27-02-2020 6:05pm

bubblypop wrote: »

How do you know it's the Gardas fault?
Maybe the numbers are extremely close & the people calling it are making the mistake?

The OP claims that because of the arrangement of numbers for his phone this mistake is almost impossible.

27-02-2020 6:08pm

tuxy wrote: »

The OP claims that because of the arrangement of numbers for his phone this mistake is almost impossible.

Not sure how he could make that assumption?

tuxy · 27-02-2020 6:11pm

bubblypop wrote: »

Not sure how he could make that assumption?

I know, it's a highly illogical statement but that is what has been claimed.

prinzeugen wrote: »

Its not an easy mistake to make. As I said my number is so, so simple.

ForestFire · 27-02-2020 6:26pm

OP is dose not make any difference how easy your number is , and how hard it is not to make a mistake when dialing your number, but maybe someone with a similar number can easliy end up dialing your number.

Can you not put you number pattern here is the form of random letter or symbols like mine below:--

087 &WW$$>>

ohnonotgmail · 27-02-2020 6:31pm

ForestFire wrote: »

OP is dose not make any difference how easy your number is , and how hard it is not to make a mistake when dialing your number, but maybe someone with a similar number can easliy end up dialing your number.

Can you not put you number pattern here is the form of random letter or symbols like mine below:--

087 &WW$$>>

that is what i think is happening as well. My own number is 5551234 (well not really but that is the pattern). if somebody wants to dial 5512346 but they accidentally dial 55512346 then they will get through to me. the network will ignore the 6 at the end as it only expects 7 digits. I've had people get bull thick with me accusing me of stealing their friends phone.

ForestFire · 27-02-2020 7:01pm

Okay People....STOP RINGING ME!!!:p

Only joking:D

endacl · 27-02-2020 11:31pm

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Or take the opposite approach - answer every call and faithfully promise to sort out the matter and call out to visit the caller with more details and waive all the tickets or whatever they are asking you to do - then do nothing.

Can’t do that though. In representing himself as a Guard the OP would be committing an offence.

Peregrinus · 28-02-2020 9:53am

prinzeugen wrote: »

As The title says, a member of the Garda keeps giving my mobile to people rather than their own.

I have, what must be, one of the simplest mobile numbers in the country. You would need to be an idiot to get it wrong . . .

Obviously speaking to them didn't work so who do I go to next? GSOC or the Data Protection Commissioner?

The thing is, they're not getting your number wrong; they're getting the guard's number wrong.

You assume that the guard is giving out the wrong number, but this seems unlikely to me; he presumably knows his own number. Far more likely is that some of the people he gives it to make a mistake, and inadvertantly change it in their minds or in their fingers to your simple, elegant, memorable number.

I had this problem with a credit card once; just switch two digits and the number was strikingly apt and pleasing. And when I was giving my credit card number over the phone, no matter how clearly I spoke people would constantly make that switch, the transaction would be rejected, and I would have to persuade them that they had made a mistake.

If that's anything like your situation, there's nothing GSOC or the Data Protection Commissioner can do about it. You can ask your provider for a new, less elegant number, though I appreciate that's a colossal pain.

nothing · 28-02-2020 10:03am

Could you not set your voicemail to something like "Hi, this is prinzeugen, if you've rang looking for garda x, you have the wrong number"

is_that_so · 28-02-2020 10:08am

Isn't this a golden opportunity for a TD to make representations on behalf of a constituent? In fact, contact all of the local TDs!

CitizenFloor · 28-02-2020 10:39am

Go to the station with a T-Shirt with "GDPR Police" written across it in big writing, and make a deal with the Garda....Ask them to port your number and buy you a new phone. Worth a shot. Say your number is out there now, and its the only way to stop people calling you.

They might actually do it

CitizenFloor · 28-02-2020 10:45am

CitizenFloor wrote: »

Go to the station with a T-Shirt with "GDPR Police" written across it in big writing, and make a deal with the Garda....Ask them to port your number and buy you a new phone. Worth a shot. Say your number is out there now, and its the only way to stop people calling you.

They might actually do it

Just to clarify, I am actually serious, minus the part about the T-Shirt.

prinzeugen · 28-02-2020 11:07am

ForestFire wrote: »

OP is dose not make any difference how easy your number is , and how hard it is not to make a mistake when dialing your number, but maybe someone with a similar number can easliy end up dialing your number.

Can you not put you number pattern here is the form of random letter or symbols like mine below:--

087 &WW$$>>

08X +++ +++=

Tasfasdf · 28-02-2020 11:31am

prinzeugen wrote: »

08X +++ +++=

Thats some proper thick Garda so. We have such high standard police:rolleyes:

28-02-2020 11:35am

Tasfasdf wrote: »

Thats some proper thick Garda so. We have such high standard police:rolleyes:

Do you know what the Gardas number is?
Do you know what the people ringing ate dialling?
Maybe we have some proper thick people in the country.

OP, I'm not sure why you think he is giving out the wrong number? Do you have some reason to think that?

BabysCoffee · 28-02-2020 11:38am

Sounds to me like people are misdialing the number being given by the garda

You could google your number to see if it comes up on any Garda listing of numbers - that could be proof that your number is being used uncorrectly.....other than that it is hard to see how you can blame the gardai but not people perhaps dialling the wrong number

Probably adviseable to put a voice mail saying this is XXX and that if you are looking for someone else you have the wrong number

28-02-2020 11:42am

Tasfasdf wrote: »

The stupid garda cant even remember his phone number and OP has already told the thick idiot his mistake and yet he keeps doing it.

OP, I'm not sure why you think he is giving out the wrong number? Do you have some reason to think that?

seriously, maybe read OP posts

Listen.
The OP has no idea what the people ringing the Guard are doing.
I read his posts, no proof he is giving out the wrong number.
Seriously.

listermint · 28-02-2020 11:43am

People are miss dialing you I get about 3 or 4 a year.

I'd never be so bold to believe someone is giving my number out on purpose because that would be an idiotic assumption based on no evidence. People make mistakes.

There's a simple solution to this.

Change your number.

Or don't answer unknown numbers.

No idea how this ended up in legal discussion...

28-02-2020 11:44am

& I would also say OP, that if your phone number consists of the same number bar the last digit being different, then it's a very easy number to misdial.

LeBash · 28-02-2020 11:48am

My guess is it's a card with the wrong number.

prinzeugen · 28-02-2020 11:52am

listermint wrote: »

People are miss dialing you I get about 3 or 4 a year.

I'd never be so bold to believe someone is giving my number out on purpose because that would be an idiotic assumption based on no evidence. People make mistakes.

There's a simple solution to this.

Change your number.

Or don't answer unknown numbers.

No idea how this ended up in legal discussion...

I never said they were doing it on purpose. And why should I have to change my number? I have had it for about 20 years! And not answering unknown numbers is not an option as I use my phone for work. Also ignoring unknown numbers wont stop the calls at all hours of the night.

cruizer101 · 28-02-2020 12:49pm

prinzeugen wrote: »

08X +++ +++=

Do you know what the guards number is.
Is it something like 08X +++ +++- or 08X +++ ++==

28-02-2020 12:51pm

prinzeugen wrote: »

I never said they were doing it on purpose. And why should I have to change my number? I have had it for about 20 years! And not answering unknown numbers is not an option as I use my phone for work. Also ignoring unknown numbers wont stop the calls at all hours of the night.

well what exactly you do you want?
you have no proof your number is being given out, my best guess is that people are misdialling, pretty easy to do when a number consists of a lot of the same number.

tayto lover · 28-02-2020 1:21pm

OP it’s probably a card with a mistake in the number.
Just like the “there” instead of “their” in your thread title.

Zirconia · 28-02-2020 1:35pm

Next time it happens, ask the caller what number they were given; then you will know if they've made a mistake dialing, or if they've actually been given your number.
If it's the latter, also ask if they were told it and wrote it down themselves, or were handed a card with the number on it etc.

I would guess most likely its a case of misdialling or else they took the number down wrong themselves....

skooterblue2 · 28-02-2020 2:08pm

endacl wrote: »

Just answer with, ‘feck off and sort it out yourself. I’ve no interest in dealing with you*’. Don’t identify yourself. Once the complaints start rolling in to the station the problem will be sorted.

* Technically true. And technically true is, as we all know, the best kind of true.

If you are going to do it then be creative.....

"You have reached the line for the medicals for Sinn Fein, leave your number and Tiocfadh Ar Lá"
"This is the line for Madame DuN'phy's Masion Derrier, may i take your booking?"
"This is Darrens phone, Hash €20 an ounce, and 8 Ball €50 euro, miscellaneous pills borrowed from a vets car €5, if you havent cash will take mobile phones and play stations"
"This is the line for Torture Gardens play event, Bring your own toys and wipes will be on hand. Be ready for inspection down there, party starts at 9, dont be late."

Mod
Scooterblue2
Pls do not post again on this thread

listermint · 28-02-2020 2:27pm

prinzeugen wrote: »

I never said they were doing it on purpose. And why should I have to change my number? I have had it for about 20 years! And not answering unknown numbers is not an option as I use my phone for work. Also ignoring unknown numbers wont stop the calls at all hours of the night.

You should change your number because your on the internet raging about the problem and you won't not answer unknown numbers.

Simple as that.

Nostalgia about a phone number... I mean I've had three in that time various work numbers too.

Don't worry it's not your surname its a phone people will still know who you are.

El Weirdo · 28-02-2020 2:30pm

skooterblue2 wrote: »

"This is Darrens phone, Hash €20 an ounce, and 8 Ball €50 euro, miscellaneous pills borrowed from a vets car €5, if you havent cash will take mobile phones and play stations"

Erm... could I get Darren's actual number, please?

Victor · 28-02-2020 2:57pm

listermint wrote: »

You should change your number because your on the internet raging about the problem and you won't not answer unknown numbers.

Simple as that.

Nostalgia about a phone number... I mean I've had three in that time various work numbers too.

Don't worry it's not your surname its a phone people will still know who you are.

But if the OP changed their number and it's advisable to not answer unknown numbers, the OP just ends up with a new problem.

28-02-2020 3:04pm

Just block unknown numbers, no?

Esel · 28-02-2020 7:24pm

Why should the OP give up a golden number? Would you?

clappyhappy · 28-02-2020 7:57pm

Could it be that the guards number is the same as yours but the code is different. I keep getting calls for Rory who is a vet, we've the same main number but his code is different to mine. I definitely get 3 to 4 calls a month looking for him. Now if they phone I just give them the right code.

KWAG2019 · 28-02-2020 8:14pm

This is a problem at Garda end, taking posts at face value. No reason OP should do anything to inconvenience himself to solve their problem. In an era of two factor authentication and contactless payments changing a number is going to be a PITA. Write to the super and give a few examples. Says its Data Protection breach and maybe GSOC if it keeps up. Give them a fortnight. Log everything.

Garda keeps giving my phone number out and not there own.

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