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Bug Sends Lost-Phone Seekers To Same Wrong Address
netbuzz writes "A mysterious GPS-tracking glitch has brought a parade of lost-phone seekers — and police officers — to the front door of a single beleaguered homeowner in Las Vegas. Each of the unexpected visitors – Sprint customers all — has arrived absolutely convinced that the man has their phone. Not so, police confirm. The same thing happened in New Orleans in 2011 and Sprint got sued. Says the Las Vegas man: 'It's very difficult to say, 'I don't have your phone,' in any other way other than, 'I don't have your phone.''"
it has been over a year and sprint can't fix the problem
a nice letter to their legal department may move things along
Open an Apple store there. Sell iPhones. The people showing up are inevitably short a phone.
I'm surprised Apple hasn't patented this yet.
Have gnu, will travel.
It's funny except that it's taking a lot of his time, it must be extremely stressful, the fact that people turn up at any time must be affecting his sleep, his mental state, and so on.
And that's before someone turning up possibly gets violent.
And their costs to get there. Why are they going? Because the police refuse to deal with stolen phone cases even where there is a GPS signal, so people go out on their own or with mates to reclaim their property.
Quite clearly this problem needs a solution very soon before something bad happens.
For a long time I had a deadbeat using my phone number while obtaining lines of credit. The collectors would start calling and asking for her, and there was nothing that I could say to them to convince them that I did not know her, she did not live at my house, had never lived at my house, etc. It looks like lies no matter what, and these arent people who are willing to actually follow the laws about harrasment. They bothered me enough that I was ready to hunt her down for them.
Actually, not very effective since they don't have their phone.
I'd start stealing phones. How would Sprint know the difference?
That is all.
I would be ill advised for anyone tracking a phone to go to the address and accuse the occupants of having it.
There are many possible outcomes, most are less than optimal.
When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
First, rage is taking over at this point. They're missing their precious shiny. And, as far as a computer's told them, you have it. Thus, what would normally be impotent rage is now focused rage: They now "know" that you've got their precious, precious shiny! Do you seriously expect them to stop and read a lowly yard sign as they advance on your home with crowbars and torches? Even worse if that yard sign is contradicting the word of an all-knowing, completely logical, infallible computer? A computer just like their missing pet shiny?
Second, as others have pointed out, they don't have their phones. They can't call Sprint.
Please call SPRINT at 1-800-xxx-xxxx
Telling people, who are looking for their lost phone, to call a number, might not be the most effective tactic. =)
Whether you are the debtor or not, collection agencies are required, by law, to honor all C&D requests that are submitted to them, in writing. After they receive the C&D, they are permitted to contact you only once more, and the purpose of that communication is to advise you of their next course of action. If they do not respect the C&D, contact the FTC and your state Attorney General, and advise them that the collection agency has broken the law.
If the agency refuses to give the information necessary for you to send them a C&D in writing, then this falls under the same category as a caller who refuses to identify himself, and if such calls persist without such identification, then it qualifies as full-on telephone harassment. The police can be notified in this case.
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
Once someone came into the parking lot where I work, smashed my window and took my gps unit. I didn't have insurance either. I was pretty impressed with the response from the police though. They even sent a detective to collect a blood sample where the guy cut himself when he broke the window. While we were at my car, they got a call from the police in the next town, about 5 miles away, and they had caught some guys going through another car in a Walmart parking lot and they had a bag full of GPS units.
I identified my unit at the police station, then they had to hold it for evidence.. for 3 and a half @#$&% YEARS!! Court systems sucks.. the cops were pretty cool though