I was listening to a Weird Al song about prank calls and realized you can’t really do them anymore now. Also it was funny that he mentioned dialing 7 digit numbers instead of 10

  • bunkyprewster@startrek.website
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    1 month ago

    When I was a kid, we would spell out “dirty words” in people’s phone numbers and call saying we were from the “Telephone Number Decency League”. We’d say the naughty word thier number could spell and encourage them to call the phone company to ask for a new phone number.

    • MutilationWave@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      Love it. We used soundboards. The Schwarzenegger one was a blast. You get them paying attention with the lines from kindergarten cop then start going wild on them with lines from predator, etc. My personal favorite was “I hope you left enough room for my fist, because I’m gonna ram it into your stomach!” One memorable woman tried to save Arnold’s soul with gospel music. I think she enjoyed the whole thing.

  • Vex_Detrause@lemmy.ca
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    1 month ago

    Back then “if it’s important they would call”. Recently, “they will call back if it’s important”. Now, “they will leave a message if it’s important.”

  • CileTheSane@lemmy.ca
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    1 month ago

    People still try. When I worked retail we’d get them often enough as you can’t just not answer an unknown number when someone is calling the store.

    That said, if it’s an unknown number we’re already expecting a prank call and are just waiting for the first excuse to hang up.

  • Rhaedas@fedia.io
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    1 month ago

    I remember the shift to using area codes and how everyone was so upset at how difficult that would be. Then the smart phones came, and I wonder how many people now know many of the numbers they might regularly call with one tap,