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Phone Number Suspended After Everyone Who Had It Dies

Posted by samzenpus on from the case-of-the-murderous-mobile dept.

The Bulgarian mobile phone company Mobitel has discontinued the number 0888 888 888 because everybody who has had it has died. The number's first owner, Vladimir Grashnov, died of cancer. Then Bulgarian mafia boss Konstantin Dimitrov was killed by an assassin. Finally, cocaine trafficker Konstantin Dishliev took over the number. He was shot outside an Indian restaurant. From the article: "Since then, the number is understood to have been dormant while police maintained an open file on Dishliev's killing and his smuggling ring. Now phone bosses are said to have suspended the number for good. Callers now get a recorded message saying the phone is 'outside network coverage.' A Mobitel spokesman would only say, 'We have no comment to make. We won't discuss individual numbers.'"

9 comments

  1. I wonder if I can buy it? by irreverant · · Score: 2, Funny

    Fortune cookie said that was my lucky number!

    --
    Of all the things I've lost; I miss my mind the most. - Mark Twain
  2. I guess the Chinese were wrong by JoshuaZ · · Score: 1

    In Chinese culture, 8 is considered a very lucky number. People have bid very large amounts of money to have license plates with just 8 on them. See for example http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2009-07/02/content_8345712.htm But this number is all 8s except for a single 0. Maybe it is only lucky in China?

  3. Maybe it's better to let it die by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I mean, if two out of three owners were criminals, that should be a reason alone to keep it out of circulation. The next owner might be a gun smuggler, and we can imagine how that would end.

  4. The leading cause of death.... by Bob_Who · · Score: 1

    ....Is birth.

    The numbers don't lie.

    1. Re:The leading cause of death.... by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      ... is consumption of dihydrogen monoxide (DHMO).
      Your numbers might not lie, but neither do mine : every person who has ever died has had significant amounts of DHMO exposure at some time in their life.
      Worse, now that I think about it, every person (male or female) who has carried a foetus to term has also had DHMO exposure ; so it could be a factor in rendering contraceptives ineffective.
      That's something to think about. Maybe that explains why at least one popular type of contraceptive is made with rubber whose DHMO content is carefully controlled. I think that the London Rubber Company have some explaining to do!

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
  5. Suspend taxation by BraksDad · · Score: 1

    Guilt by association. You cannot avoid death or taxes.

    Perhaps the elimination of taxes will eliminate death too.

    --
    Slowly waving my hand - "This is not the sig you are looking for."
  6. Pretty obvious to me by Noam.of.Doom · · Score: 1

    How can anybody be surprised or baffled about criminals getting murdered?
    The first guy who died from cancer probably had bad karma or something. They should try giving this number to innocent and decent people, the curse will probably vanish.

    --
    It is the universe that makes fun of us all.
    1. Re:Pretty obvious to me by xjlm · · Score: 1

      What if you're wrong? You've just sentenced some innocent decent person to death.

      --
      The Tea Party is just the GOP with a bag over its head.
  7. Same with all numbers by oldspewey · · Score: 1

    Everyone who has had, or will have, my current phone number is going to die too.

    --
    If libertarians are so opposed to effective government, why don't they all move to Somalia?