Be careful when in the media...my lesson learned

Hey all,

Just wanted to share my events of today. I was booked to paint a belly on A Channel Ottawa a fair size TV station here in my city. I only had a couple of days notice to find a model and make it happen. During this time, my husband lost my cell phone. So, live on the air this morning, I made the stupid decision to use my home number as a contact for people to reach me as my website is not up yet. The belly worked fine, everyone loved it. Lots of good compliments. Fast forward to 3 this afternoon. I was having a nap with my baby when the phone rang. I answered it, someone hung up. It rang again, I answered and a man asked me "Will you paint my c*&k?" I was groggy and thought it was a friend being stupid so I asked "Who IS this?" andhe hung up. He called a thrid time, this time I was awake and when he asked me again I said "NO!" and hung up. I was worried so I called my husband at work. As soon as I hung up, I got another call, this one was sounds only and I am pretty sure I knew what he was doing...I hung up and called the police. They immediatly put me thru to the sexual crimes person and she took the report, times details etc. She told me how to trace the call thru the phone company even though it was a private number. I did what she asked, the number was traced but it does not get released to me, the number has been recorded in their records and if the calls continue, the police can go to court and have the number released to them.
I haven't had any more calls that I know of but I was out for the evening. I am a little scared as I have three small children home with me. All this because i was dumb and used my home number to save $$ instead of bying a new cell phone. Hopefully this was just some jackoff being stupid today, but now he has my number and all he has to do is look it up on the computer and he can get my address. So, for the next little while, my kids can't play outside, and I jump at every shadow and my heart sinks everytime the phone rings. I got caught up in my happy world of painting children and parties and such and forgot to protect myself and familly first. Maybe I am over reacting, but the police took it very seriously and I just can't take any more chances with my kids now that I have had my reality check. Be careful what we share folks.

Ah, afraid that's 1 of the cardinal rules, no home numbers or addresses in advertising of any sort. I use my mobile ONLY and even then some of my flyers/ business cards only give an email address, no phone at all.

Shame you had to hear that..you will still get them on email/ mobile but its less disturbing than direct into your house!

Cat x

SuzySparkles wrote:hmmm.... I have my home address listed on my service agreement... I guess I better take that off...lol

Thanks for making me think of the crazies

Yea, at first I used my home address too on contracts for people to send back to me but we invested in a PO BOX...much, much better.

sad that these kind of things happen...I have my homeadress on my website too...well...everyone could find this if they search my name...

I don't put my phone number on my website - I use an inquiry form for people to fill in and send me.

Of course, my phone number is on my business cards, postcards and car... so, well, if the wierdos want to call they could, but so far it hasn't been an issue.

And if people really want to they can find out everything by Googling... nothing is secure...

Even if your number isn't on your website, people can still find it. My freshman year English teacher was teaching us how to find good sources for essays and showed us several websites where all you have to do is type in a website name and it will give you all of the information on the person who owns or runs the website. Name, address, phone number, everything.
Creeps are everywhere, unfortunately, and if they want to find you, technology has made it easy for them. It may have just been some drunk guys messing with you, or it could have been a serious psycho. Unfortunately, there is no way to tell. If they call back, tell them that you alerted the police, but other than that, there is really nothing you can do.
Good luck!