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Franboxer's profile

4 Messages

Wednesday, June 5th, 2024 2:00 PM

Someone is using my phone number

I've had my number for over 20 years however I keep getting calls and texts for someone who is not me.  A quick internet search showed this person had this number from New Cingular Wireless which is now AT&T.  Please do not tell me it's not possible for both of us to have the same number since a search of my number comes up in numerous places with her name.  Can someone please help stop this?

ACE - Expert

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36K Messages

29 days ago

It is not possible for the same number to be used by two phones/people/accounts, etc.

However, it is also not possible to go through every database, directory, marketing list, alumni directory, etc. and remove all references to a phone number that no longer belongs to the person it did when that entry was created.

4 Messages

29 days ago

So what you are saying is that she had my number previously to me having it and she's still listed somewhere as having that number?  Kind of hard to think that's it since I have my number for probably 23 years and ALL of my spam calls and texts are for her.  If that is the case, any idea where I could find what year she was issued that number? 

Community Support

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232.9K Messages

29 days ago

Hello @Franboxer, we hear you and understand the importance of having your number not shared. Let's get the help you need!

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ACE - Expert

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36K Messages

29 days ago

No, you will not be able to obtain information about someone else's account, even assuming that records for an account that has been closed for over 23 years still exist in their database.  It is also possible that someone has given out a phone number that was never theirs (by mistake or otherwise), and may have done so repeatedly.  Lists of people and "their" phone numbers are bought and sold all the time.

ACE - Expert

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28K Messages

29 days ago

The more logical answer is that somehow she listed YOUR number (either typo or deceptive) on some sort of mailing list and that list got sold over & over & over.   Especially if it’s spam calls/texts.

TBH….when a number is required, I list my childhood phone number* for that very reason.  


* Public apology to whomever now uses that number.  🤷‍♀️

ACE - Expert

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32.5K Messages

29 days ago

If a person writes down in a notebook that person has that phone number it doesn't mean the phone number existed with two services at the same time. Same with any digital database. That list you pulled up was in error or out of date and too often such instances do not get updated/corrected.

Unfortunately all you can do is tell people they have the wrong number and/or ignore/block them.

4 Messages

29 days ago

I received two calls just yesterday specifically for this other person from a nurse with an insurance company referencing a patient and referring her to the social worker at the hospital.  It makes no sense that the nurse would be calling a number other than what this person gave her. 

ACE - Sage

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118.4K Messages

29 days ago

Please do not tell me it's not possible for both of us to have the same number since a search of my number comes up in numerous places with her name.  

Well like it or not that is fact. It is not possible for two SIM cards to have the exact same phone number.  It is not even possible to assign a virtual number if it exists as a physical phone number on a SIM card. 

Just because some websites said that somebody had the number before you does not mean the number is not been reassigned and now belongs to you.

When I look up me on the internet it shows former addresses, and former phone numbers including two phone numbers which no longer belong to me for landlines that have been disconnected.  If someone else were to move into the same town and be assigned a brand new landline telephone number they could easily be assigned one of my old disconnected numbers. Googling that information would show those phone numbers under me, the old owner, and the new owner - BOTH

And. . .

10 years ago I added a new number to my four number cell account. I immediately started receiving collection calls and even calls from friends, family, dentist etc for a person that I have since dubbed 'deadbeat Connie'. 

Connie had this number before I did and obviously chose to walk away from her debts, and disconnect her phone in order to avoid the collection calls. 

Over the past 10 years I have contacted the White pages website to have them remove Connie as owner of this number, as well as my regular phone number (which I have had since 1995).  White pages has obliged each time.

My old number is also listed under my name but the fact that it comes up as a possible contact for her means I get collection calls on my number as well as the 10-year-old number. 

So yes it is exactly what's happening.

Contact the website like I did and have them remove the other person's name from your phone number.  

ACE - Sage

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118.4K Messages

29 days ago

FYI a quick Google search results for the company name " new Cingular wireless" dates to 2000 to 2004

That's the date that the company consolidated under that name. But it's entirely possible that the phone number, and the owner of that phone number existed before that under another company name. 

Just like my original phone number existed with a small local cellular provider in 1995 and was eventually consolidated and bought out by Verizon wireless who became my provider in the year 2000.  

ACE - Master

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11K Messages

29 days ago

AT&T hasn’t been New Cingular Wireless for about 20 years.  Either it was someone who had the number before you and that old number is still in various databases, or someone more recently someone either incorrectly or more likely nefariously put your number down for their own reasons.  Someone may have listed your current number in a database that’s either been hacked or sold to spammers, but no one is actively using your number to get your phone calls, or has any access to your account.  Cell phones don’t work that way.  Only one SIM can be active with one number.  If you are getting phone calls to your number, then you are the only one who actively is using that number.

My number also shows up with someone else’s name in some searches, and it’s always the same person.  All I’ve ever gotten out of it is some texts for voting in a completely different state.  I just delete them.  I assume this person just randomly picked my number because they didn’t want to give out their own number.  Nothing more.

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