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callahanmagic · ‎12-30-2018

I received the most frightening phone call this early Sunday morning through my iphone. 3:30 am. I answered to a groaning, moanful sound of a young male person. I made the 1st mistake of calling out to the name of our 1st born son. A weak ?yeah? had me sprung out of bed. By then, my wife already woken up, the instant she heard me saying our son’s name.

“Are you hurt?” … “ Are you in a wreck?” “ Where are you, now?” “Can you tell me the name of the town?” “Are you in such and such place … ….” To all these questions, the caller just groaned “yeah, yeah …”

I was not aware of No Caller ID phone pranks/scams as the caller continued to groan in answering to all my frantic assumptions. We were expecting our two sons coming home for the new year reunion. Our youngest child had made it back 2 nights ago and was sound asleep in his room.

All my training as a cool collected person went to pieces. I continued to press the voice to get answers. I also kept asking if there is some one who I can speak with to get a handle of what in the name of fin is going on. My worst fear that our 1st born son was in a hospital involved in a car wreck on his journey home to us ... since the voice was not lucid or coherent and appear to be injured or unwell.

My wife was already out of the bedroom, in the kitchen turning on the lights, dialing our son’s number, same time sending him a text message.

I came out of the bedroom, still talking to the voice, thinking that my son is too hurt or even inebriated to communicate with me.

I don’t know what make me put the iphone on the speaker mode.

When my wife heard the groaning sound of the voice. She quickly wrote on a piece of paper that “it is NOT our son’s voice …” Then she took a look at the caller id “ No Caller ID”. She wrote again on the paper: “ Hang up NOW!”

Me? My heart and mind raced to that worst scenario – ignored her. And kept ‘feeding’ my own assumptions to the caller. Through my foggy mind, when I realized that I cannot get anything coherent from the voice. I told the voice that I will call our police office to locate/trace the call if need be. I hung up (that action ate at me that I was hanging up on our child who was desperately in need of my help).

Contacted our local police. Related what had transpired. "Scams". The officer on the line told me. Such calls have been reported to their office.

By then, my wife had woken up our youngest son who told us that our 1st born son, his big brother (13 months apart) had called him later that Saturday night.

And yes. Our 1st born child face-time us, shortly and confirmed that he is OK. He is NOT that caller.

As of now, I’m following the instructions on how to set blocks on my iphone to No Caller ID.

I felt ignorant + stupid, but never so RELIEVED at the same time!

-

Lucas

*still rollin' with the punches*

cheri--b · ‎12-30-2018

I'm glad you wrote about this. I'll let people know in my life.

Some people are sadistic and feed themselves. Part of what they feed with, is a sense of getting you to feel foolish afterward. As well as jollies off the pain.

Thank goodness it was a prank. They should be caught and strongly punished. They could give someone a heart attack. Re-trigger serious trauma.

Twice my parents received a call that I'd been in an accident and was injuried. Once when I didn't show up as expected, they called the hospitals, and got a yes, she's here. I wasn't conscious. It was horrible for them.

The other was me calling at 19 years, before 8am (to save money, rates used to change at 8am,) collect (so much for saving money), to say I was in a hospital. To the question, what hospital? I answered "hold on, I'll check, I think it's written on the pillow case."

I wound up okay and alive. In both instances (2nd one after many hours of worry.)

But I am outraged that someone did this to you. I doubt this will last long, because word will go around. They are counting on embarrassment to stop people from passing on the word. Like that would work.

I'm glad you posted. If my mom received another such call, it'd could literally kill her. She's suffered permanent damage from the stress of the last wait. Please do something something angry for the anger this causes, and something peaceful or helpful, to get your centering back.

Wow.

callahanmagic · ‎12-30-2018

"I'm glad you posted."

@cheri--b

For sure, RAGE. Still, my male ego took a huge dent. That I'd went to pieces when I thought our son was in trouble. I was unable to 'protect' or 'help' him. It was my wife who maintained a level head. She realized/recognized immediately, that the voice/caller is not whom I mistakenly assumed is our son - once I had the voice on speaker.

When googled, this type of scams/pranks are not uncommon and are happening to some unsuspecting people. Some news articles had reported them too. Unfortunately, I was not totally well-informed on this happenings - I foolishly pride myself of being 'well-informed' of scams/pranks out there.

Through out this Sunday afternoon, I replayed what had transpired and acknowledged all the mistakes that I've made when I answered that NO CALLER ID call. I just have to post the encounter to ease my inner peace and regained some "centering back". I felt a little better.

Needless to say, this episode will be a conversation piece at our new year reunion with the rests of my family and their extended families.

-

Lucas

*still rollin' with the punches*

callahanmagic · ‎12-30-2018

"Twice my parents received a call that I'd been in an accident and was injuried."

"If my mom received another such call, it'd could literally kill her. She's suffered permanent damage from the stress of the last wait."

@cheri--b

Personally, I consider these are the worst calls to recieve as parents. The thought of harm had come to our child when we're not there to give aid or lend support in any way possible is too unthinkable.

-

Lucas

*still rollin' with the punches*

cheri--b · ‎12-30-2018

You were the one who picked up the call. Your wife came to it, even a moment later. It's the shock at the beginning aiming to freeze you, that sociopaths count on working. It only seems like a small thing.

You went to pieces for a situation that wasn't what it seemed. It's still unknown how you'd react when it's real. Probably, you'd pick up on something different and have more of a sense.

I hadn't heard of this one before. I got one of those IRS calls myself, and even though I knew it was still hard to ignore.

I wonder what hunter gatherer cavemen did that was their version of crank calls? Hide behind a rock and make bird noises? At the family reunion, ask them to come up with some of these :).