The Lost Symbol -- WEIRD HAPPENING - Page 4

Neil · 09-21-2009, 02:49 PM

Well, it's over.

It was a hoax.

I first spoke to the hotel and they seemed not to know about it. I then called the publicity team at Random House/Doubleday. I just got the following email from them:

Neil,

Please do not go to this location. This is an absolute hoax and we are looking into this as is the Random House legal team. Somehow someone with very bad intentions hacked into the phone number message system of the number published in the book.

Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. I will be in touch as I learn more.

The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

I'm pretty disappointed but not as much as if I had gone. If anyone else received a callback this is the assessment.

phenomshel · 09-21-2009, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

Well, it's over.

It was a hoax.

I first spoke to the hotel and they seemed not to know about it. I then called the publicity team at Random House/Doubleday. I just got the following email from them:

Neil,

Please do not go to this location. This is an absolute hoax and we are looking into this as is the Random House legal team. Somehow someone with very bad intentions hacked into the phone number message system of the number published in the book.

Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. I will be in touch as I learn more.

The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

I'm pretty disappointed but not as much as if I had gone. If anyone else received a callback this is the assessment.

Awww that sucks, Neil, I'm sorry. Would have been cool if Random House had had something set up.

kennyc · 09-21-2009, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

Well, it's over.

It was a hoax.

I first spoke to the hotel and they seemed not to know about it. I then called the publicity team at Random House/Doubleday. I just got the following email from them:

Neil,

Please do not go to this location. This is an absolute hoax and we are looking into this as is the Random House legal team. Somehow someone with very bad intentions hacked into the phone number message system of the number published in the book.

Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. I will be in touch as I learn more.

The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

I'm pretty disappointed but not as much as if I had gone. If anyone else received a callback this is the assessment.

pretty good one, eh?

vivaldirules · 09-21-2009, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

Well, it's over.

It was a hoax.

I first spoke to the hotel and they seemed not to know about it. I then called the publicity team at Random House/Doubleday. I just got the following email from them:

Neil,

Please do not go to this location. This is an absolute hoax and we are looking into this as is the Random House legal team. Somehow someone with very bad intentions hacked into the phone number message system of the number published in the book.

Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. I will be in touch as I learn more.

The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group

I'm pretty disappointed but not as much as if I had gone. If anyone else received a callback this is the assessment.

That's scary. And intriguing. I'm curious about who would pull such a prank and why - almost enough to want to find out what would happen if you showed up. But, of course, I'm not suggesting you do. That could be a very bad idea.

Thanks for letting us know, though!

Neil · 09-21-2009, 03:10 PM

I doubt there is anything planned by the hoaxers for people who show up. I think it was just an advanced form of "let's order nine pizzas for the neighbor" idiocy. One thing is that my call log does show the number that called me back and I have given that to Random House. Sigh.

ShortNCuddlyAm · 09-21-2009, 03:11 PM

That's a shame. Still, at least you contacted the publishers before you set off.

vivaldirules · 09-21-2009, 03:29 PM

Neil, am I correct in assuming that you are still puzzled as to why this number was published (and does it really belong to Solomon)?

DixieGal · 09-21-2009, 03:32 PM

That's too bad, could've been a boffo publicity opportunity for the publishers. Not that they need any more publicity, that is, but still.

Neil · 09-21-2009, 04:02 PM

Hey Vivaldi -- No I never thought it belonged to Peter Solomon who is a fictional character. But I did think, and still do, that it was setup by Random House. I am going to guess that it was always supposed to be setup with the mailbox turned off or set to full. Some hacker probably got into it and changed the message a little and got into the phone log. The one thing I don't understand yet is that the voice that called seemed the same as the voice on the machine. I just checked and now the voice just identifies itself and the mail box is back to full but even knowing all this the voice sounds like the one that called. Maybe a big coincidence in sounds of voices and unfortunately it was a hacker who realized "Hey, I can sound like that!"

Superlucky · 09-21-2009, 04:26 PM

I remember reading that the voice mailbox got hacked, but the article I read (which I now cannot find) reported that the hackers simply changed the outgoing message, not that they were actually calling people back.

Patricia · 09-21-2009, 05:04 PM

Well, the story opens with a lecture that never happens and is a hoax. So I would imagine that you ought to feel relieved, given what the lecturer, Robert Landon, is put through instead...

Neil · 09-21-2009, 05:30 PM

Yeah, I wouldn't have wanted to find my own Hand of Mysteries! Or have become one.

pilotbob · 09-21-2009, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

- I just spilled my drink on pilotbob.

Ohhh....

Is that what the moisture in my lap is?

I thought... well never mind.

BOb

ShortNCuddlyAm · 09-21-2009, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotbob

Ohhh....

Is that what the moisture in my lap is?

I thought... well never mind.

BOb

I am SO glad I am sitting at the other end of the row behind BOb!

nohmi2 · 09-21-2009, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

Yeah, I wouldn't have wanted to find my own Hand of Mysteries! Or have become one.

Neil. In it's own way this was a mini-adventure. You followed through and found out that this was a hoax. You solved the mystery my friend.

Good luck to you and your wife, who cancelled a hair appointment....now that's what I call love.

Cheers

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09-21-2009, 02:49 PM	#46
Neil Addict Posts: 242 Karma: 10932816 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: iPad Mini 6, iPad Air, Kindles HD 8, HD 10, Oasis 3, Scribe, Colorsoft	Well, it's over. It was a hoax. I first spoke to the hotel and they seemed not to know about it. I then called the publicity team at Random House/Doubleday. I just got the following email from them: Neil, Please do not go to this location. This is an absolute hoax and we are looking into this as is the Random House legal team. Somehow someone with very bad intentions hacked into the phone number message system of the number published in the book. Thank you so much for bringing this to our attention. I will be in touch as I learn more. The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group I'm pretty disappointed but not as much as if I had gone. If anyone else received a callback this is the assessment.

09-21-2009, 03:10 PM	#50
Neil Addict Posts: 242 Karma: 10932816 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: iPad Mini 6, iPad Air, Kindles HD 8, HD 10, Oasis 3, Scribe, Colorsoft	I doubt there is anything planned by the hoaxers for people who show up. I think it was just an advanced form of "let's order nine pizzas for the neighbor" idiocy. One thing is that my call log does show the number that called me back and I have given that to Random House. Sigh.

09-21-2009, 03:11 PM	#51
ShortNCuddlyAm WWHALD Posts: 7,879 Karma: 337114 Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Mitcham, Surrey, UK Device: iPad. Selling my silver 505 here	That's a shame. Still, at least you contacted the publishers before you set off.

09-21-2009, 03:29 PM	#52
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 10,059 Karma: 13675475 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	Neil, am I correct in assuming that you are still puzzled as to why this number was published (and does it really belong to Solomon)?

09-21-2009, 03:32 PM	#53
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	That's too bad, could've been a boffo publicity opportunity for the publishers. Not that they need any more publicity, that is, but still.

09-21-2009, 04:02 PM	#54
Neil Addict Posts: 242 Karma: 10932816 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: iPad Mini 6, iPad Air, Kindles HD 8, HD 10, Oasis 3, Scribe, Colorsoft	Hey Vivaldi -- No I never thought it belonged to Peter Solomon who is a fictional character. But I did think, and still do, that it was setup by Random House. I am going to guess that it was always supposed to be setup with the mailbox turned off or set to full. Some hacker probably got into it and changed the message a little and got into the phone log. The one thing I don't understand yet is that the voice that called seemed the same as the voice on the machine. I just checked and now the voice just identifies itself and the mail box is back to full but even knowing all this the voice sounds like the one that called. Maybe a big coincidence in sounds of voices and unfortunately it was a hacker who realized "Hey, I can sound like that!"

09-21-2009, 04:26 PM	#55
Superlucky Fanatic Posts: 581 Karma: 5952 Join Date: Aug 2009 Device: PRS-505, PRS-350	I remember reading that the voice mailbox got hacked, but the article I read (which I now cannot find) reported that the hackers simply changed the outgoing message, not that they were actually calling people back.

09-21-2009, 05:04 PM	#56
Patricia Reader Posts: 11,504 Karma: 8720163 Join Date: May 2007 Location: South Wales, UK Device: Sony PRS-500, PRS-505, Asus EEEpc 4G	Well, the story opens with a lecture that never happens and is a hoax. So I would imagine that you ought to feel relieved, given what the lecturer, Robert Landon, is put through instead...

09-21-2009, 05:30 PM	#57
Neil Addict Posts: 242 Karma: 10932816 Join Date: Mar 2009 Device: iPad Mini 6, iPad Air, Kindles HD 8, HD 10, Oasis 3, Scribe, Colorsoft	Yeah, I wouldn't have wanted to find my own Hand of Mysteries! Or have become one.