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Sat 27 Sep, 2014 01:37 pm
So, to keep it brief, I met a Chinese girl on my way to Birkbeck College in London on Wednesday, when I asked her for directions. We talked for a few minutes; the conversation went well, and we exchanged numbers.
In fact, she suggested I type my number into her phone, then she called me on that number immediately afterwards. I then saved for her number for later. Noticing that it began with a special 2-digit prefix, (possibly +44, but possibly something else), I deleted this and replaced it with the usual 07.
However, upon calling her today, the girl on the other end had an English voice, a different name, and said she’d never heard of this Chinese girl.
So in summary, this wasn’t a fake number, yet the Chinese girl’s number, which I noted down directly, actually put me through to someone totally different with absolutely no relationship to her. Could this be because I deleted the initial prefix and replaced it with 07?
Many thanks
@brevicaudate,
That 2-digit prefix should have be an international code. Frankly, if she gave you that number, why didn't you call it? She probably doesn't have a local number. Try dialing it again using the whole number exactly as she gave it to you. Of course when you changed the prefix you got a wrong number.
Oddly, 44 is GB. However, if you are in GB, then use her number without the 2 digit code.
=
@Ragman,
I know, I feel so stupid now. I tried calling it with the +44 at the front, but embarrassingly it led me back to the English girl! Would it work if I just Google the 2-digit prefix for China, even though she's living in the UK?
@brevicaudate,
no idea. Id try it. It's over my head.
I'm not quite sure whether you are trying this number from within the UK?
I know when I phone home (GB) from abroad, I not only add 44, but as memory serves, knock off the first 0 of the area code.
For instance, area code 01923 (which you would dial within GB), becomes 441923 from abroad.
So, it may be worth a try taking off the 44 or whatever prefix you have, but then add a 0 to the beginning of the remaining number.
@Lordyaswas,
Well, I've tried calling her with just the usual 0 prefix, and also with the +44 prefix (after deleting the 0 at the beginning). Both of those numbers put me in touch with the English girl, who I don't want.
The problem is, when she first called me, although her number definitely appeared with a 2-digit prefix, I don't think it was +44. And there seems no way of retrieving it... Can you recommend anything else?
Many thanks, again!
@Lordyaswas,
(and yes, I'm calling her from the UK, on a UK-registered mobile)
@brevicaudate,
You could try putting a small ad in the Metro, Craigslist or something like that. Did she give you any indication of where she works or hangs out?
@brevicaudate,
I confess I don't know all the technicalities of using the International Calling code and connecting using smartphones. I assumed,perhaps wrongly, that just doing a redial should connect you.
I'm confused about what you're saying. Both of my recent smartphones (one was Android OS and the other one is Apple OS) have a log of that original telephone number from which the person called. Why doesn't yours? Got to that original call and hit redial. Are you going far enough back to the initial call from her?
Do you think of the possibility that the English girl is lying and covering for this gal? Perhaps she changed her mind?
short tail wrote:although her number definitely appeared with a 2-digit prefix, I don't think it was +44.
If she appeared to be Chinese, I would call her with the +86 prefix.
But you are not sure it was a 2 digit prefix, so I would try with +886 or +852 prefix..
Just saying...
@Ragman,
Ragman wrote:Both of my recent smartphones (one was Android OS and the other one is Apple OS) have a log of that original telephone number from which the person called.
Not just smartphones; "dumb phones" and "feature phones" have that as well. It's a standard cell phone feature.
@timur,
timur wrote:If she appeared to be Chinese, I would call her with the +86 prefix.
Girls who "appear to be Chinese" can actually come from dozens of countries, including the UK. A student who came from China (or any other non-UK location) would be totally crazy to use a Chinese cell phone SIM card & number in the UK, they would be paying crazy roaming charges. I would examine the call log.
@contrex,
Right, hence my comment "just saying" based on what the OP says.
I don't know how the memory of her call got lost..
When my daughter was in China she bought a Chinese mobile phone. Her UK based mobile did not work over there, she couldn't text me until she got back in Yerp.
She has his number on her phone; if she wants to call him she can do that any time she wants.
@contrex,
But then again, she might have changed HIS prefix for some unknown reason as well.
OK folks, just prepare yourselves for an identical thread from a Chinese girl.