Other people's messages?

[di1411]

Can anyone explain this? My mobile phone rang today but I missed the call because I was driving. When I looked at the phone it said "one missed call" so I looked to see the number but didn't think I recognised it - it was another mobile number.

Out of curiosity I rang back and got straight into someone else's messages. I was asked to press 1 - at that stage I thought I might learn who the call had been from, so I did. It was a straightforward mesage from a bloke asking If the message receiver wanted to go out for a drink. It clearly wasn't for me but I was still trying to identify the voice so I went on to message 2 when prompted.

That was the bit that threw me a bit as that message was from a young woman who started off "If you want to know where I am I'm sitting on my settee with your girlfriend, who is in floods of tears. How could you?" It then went on for quite some time, ending with "Neither of us ever wants to see you again!" Both voices didn't sound local (Lancashire) but more like London.

Now, what I'm wondering is this -1. Should I have listened at all?(morally) 2 . How could I have got through to someone's messages so easily? 3. Could it have been some sort of windup, set up so that I would worry the way I am now? I'm fascinated as to what the story is behind this.

[RATTER15]

You will probably find you have been conned, that call probably cost you a small fortune, they gave you an interesting conversation to keep you hanging on.
Sounds very suspect anyway!!

[bigtone]

Dont ever call back a unrecognised number as ratter15 say's it could cost you a small fortune ! if the call was important they will call back or leave a message on your voicemail

[teash]

Like most replies have said its more than likely a scam of some sort. At present i`m inundated by a similar type of scam except the phone doesn`t actually ring but the screen appears with '1 missed call'. Reported this to my provider but theres nothing they can do about it. So if I don`t recognize any number I don`t answer it, if its important then usually they leave a message. Just out of curiosity where abouts in Lancs u from???

[di1411]

Thanks to all for your suggestions. I was probably a bit naiive but couldn't resist - and I was only on the line for about 1 and a half minutes max so even if I've been conned I would hope I don't go bankrupt!

There is still the basic How It Works question though - is it possible to tap in to other people's messages in that way by a technical quirk, or is it impossible and therefore would have to have been a con?

teash - Fylde Coast, by the way!

[trevHCS]

If the number was a voicemail box then I suppose it might be possible. Not very secure mind you, but then an awful lot aren't.

Trev