This topic has 95 replies, 38 voices, and was last updated 7 years, 8 months ago by 
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While those of us who received calls are not allowed to discuss until after 3pm, I wanted to make a thread now so that everyone knows to post their conversations here. Any new topics created will be merged here.
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10-4 @thegilded
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I got one! Looking forward to discussing the calls at 3:00
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Doing my part for the 3PM deluge…
I received a call from Kristen, who said that Stacey had asked her to call instead because she was so busy. Kristen asked me if I could adhere to the 3PM embargo we all got. I confirmed she meant Pacific Time since I’m out of town right now, and then she asked me to focus my hearing on the ear pressed up against the phone, and plug my other ear if I needed to.
What I heard next… I honestly don’t know how to describe it. A cyclical humming, interspersed with white noise (though that could have been background noise)? I’d say there were two slightly different pitches to the humming. As I type this, I realize it sounds like I’m describing an old-school analog modem, but that wasn’t the sound… it was much more subtle than that. But I couldn’t help but wonder if it was some sort of (I know this sounds crazy but) aural programming.
She then asked me three questions:
1. Was it now easier to blink with my right eye or left eye?
I blinked several times, paying attention to it, and noticed that the blinking was slightly smoother on my right eye. (Always there? Almost certainly. But it’s always funny what you notice when you focus on things, isn’t it?)
2. Run, fly, or swim?
I answered fly.
3. What did I want to be when I grew up?
Another thing you never think about until your attention is called to it. For me? An inventor. Kristen asked what kinds of things I wanted to invent; I said the kinds of things they make in sci-fi movies, like time machines. (I was OBSESSED with Back to the Future as a kid, and spent several years wanting to be Doc Brown like you wouldn’t believe.)
And that was it. Kristen said they’d get back to me with next steps.
So… #whatthefuck?
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Thank you for making this thread early @thebuz – chaos averted.
At 1:04pm I received a No Caller ID phone call.
The woman on the other end started to identify herself as Stacey, then hastily corrected to Kristin (or Kristen). She was very kind, charming even. She explained that Stacey was going to be busy all day, so she was calling instead. She asked if she could ask me a couple of questions.
I said yes, expecting the same questions that were reported yesterday.
Instead, they were the following.
– Is it possible for you to NOT discuss this call until 3pm today? (yes)
– You’re not driving, are you? (no)She requested that I concentrate on the ear closest to the phone, and perhaps put my finger in my other ear. I did. “Now, please listen.”
I heard 16 seconds of…something. It was a high-pitched, screeching sound. It reminded me a bit of NASA’s space sounds. It wasn’t a consistent white noise sound, like static, but gritty – and it grew fainter toward the end.
Then she came back.
– Think of the color red. Does it have a smell? (no)
– Are you noticeably aware of your teeth right now? (yes)
– If you were to give me a four digit PIN number, what would that be? (I’m no dummy, I’m not posting that)She then assured me that any nausea I felt would subside in an hour or so. She concluded, “You’ll hear from us shortly with the next [test?]”. (last word was a bit staticky and hard to hear) (EDIT: I bet it was “steps”)
My thoughts:
– Almost everything was phrased as a question. She didn’t say, “Please do not discuss this call until 3pm.” She asked if it was possible. She didn’t say “Please name a four-digit PIN”. She asked, hypothetically, what the PIN would be if I *were* to offer it to her. The call was gentle, pleasant, relaxing. Even her remark about nausea should have been alarming, but felt reassuring instead.
– I was curious as to why she’d start to introduce herself as Stacey. (She got as far as “Sta–” before stopping and correcting herself.) 1) She’s just heard her boss answer the phone for so long that sometimes she uses the same phrases on autopilot, 2) her boss has a script that she uses, and she was borrowing that script, 3) she actually was Stacey, but had some reason for pretending that she wasn’t – perhaps she’s avoiding someone today, or perhaps she wants me to think the company is larger than it really is. Or 4)…Kristin obtained my number from Stacey’s contacts, and was pretending to be from iConfidant, but wasn’t really from iConfidant. She might have briefly considered pretending to be Stacey, then decided not to.
(Perhaps someone who spoke to both Stacey and Kristin can confirm that these were two different people with different voices?)
– I wondered if the sound was meant to “prime” me, make me more receptive/less guarded.
– How would the sound have affected my driving?
– She seemed surprised that the color red did not have a smell for me. Was the strange sound intended to induce synesthesia? I do have a mild form of it already, but it’s related mostly to words, tastes, and/or sounds – not smells.
– Nothing was said about matchmaking, companions, or BFFs.
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My phone rang at 1:21, there was a very upbeat woman on the other end who called herself Kristin.
She asked how I was, I asked her, we were both doing well.
She told me first and foremost that I was not to discuss our conversation with anyone until 3pm.
She then asked if I was driving, I was not. She told me if I was in a loud space to put the phone tightly against my ear and plug my other ear, that it was very important to listen.
There was a whirling deep sound on the other end, almost like a slowed down sci-fi teleportation sound effect but slightly scratchier? Though it may have been my connection.
Then she asked me the following three questions, repeating my answers back to me to confirm them, no other reactions or responses to my answers.
Do you feel hot or cold right now?
What is a food you normally enjoy that doesn’t sound pleasant?
What was your high school mascot?At the last question, I realized how fucked I am for giving a truthful answer.
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Stacey was apparently busy, so I got a call from a very nice woman named Kristin.
-First she told me to listen closely to a sound coming from the phone, while plugging my other ear. It was a series of noisy electronic pulses…
-After the noise, she asked what part of my body I felt the most. I said “my head”.
-Then she asked me “light or dark?”. I said “light”.
-Finally she asked for my mother’s maiden name, which was an odd thing to ask.
Very interesting call and Kristin was a pleasure to speak with!
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1:48 with Kristen here too.
Same odd noise. The nausea after was likely psychological. Then again “noise” is derived from the Latin word “nausea.”
“Mother or Father?”
“What’s a food you enjoy that sounds unappealing to you right now?”
“What is your birthday?”What rave soul is going to compile these into a Google doc for us? ?
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I got the call from Kristen as well. Same intro, then the noise.
Then she asked me if I felt hot or cold. I said hot.
She asked if I felt like I was being watched even if no one is around. I said Yes kind of.Then she told me to serenade her. So I start singing Your Song by Elton John. Then she says, “Louder please” over and over until I’m singing Elton John at my desk at the top of my lungs for two choruses.
Then she said she had all she needed.
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So at about 1:27pm I got a call from Kristen. She said she was calling on behalf of Stacey, was very friendly and asked if I was driving or in a safe spot. I was and so she said she was going to ask me some questions and I said go right ahead. She then said “Okay just one sec.” And then I heard her kind of pull the phone away…
And heard nothing but a slight hum that had a slight rhythm to it. It wasn’t constant. Like “brmm…..brmm….brmm…” very quiet and faint.
Then she came back after about 30 seconds of that and asked the following:
“Are you aware of your teeth now?” “Light or Dark?” “What was the first concert you ever went to?”
After my answers she said “Okay that’s great we’ll be in touch with the next step and any nausea will subside within the hour. Have a great day!”
WHAT IN THE EVER LIVING FUCK DID THEY JUST BEAM INTO MY BRAIN!?
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Sounds like my call was pretty typical. Introduction, verification that I wasn’t driving, confirmation that I wouldn’t speak about this until 3pm.
The noise sounds like it was pretty similar to the others’. I would describe it as a low quality microphone recording a pool pump. It was a continuous, low droning noise. Then I was asked the following questions:
1. Do you feel like you are being watched, even when you are alone?
2. Swim, walk or fly?
3. What street did you grow up on?This matches some of the patterns we’ve been seeing before: some are seemingly random and barely make sense. Others are almost explicitly phishing messages.
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Alright, here we go!
I got my call at 1:35pm. I had some phone connection issues and she called me back shortly after.It was Kristen, Stacey’s associate. She was incredibly pleasant and friendly and told me she was happy to hear my voice.
She asked me to agree that I would not divulge anything of the phone call until 3pm. She also made sure I was in a quiet area and could hear clearly. She then asked me to press my ear firmly against the phone and began playing a sound bit that sounded similar to a womb-sound machine, only more mechanical. A dull whirring. It made my head vibrate and tingle.When she came back on the line, she proceeded to ask me three questions.
1) Does the color red have a smell?
–no
2) Are you more aware of your head, your chest, or your stomach right now?
–head
3) Who was your favorite teacher in school?
–I don’t have oneMy reply to the last question caused her to respond with a rather shocked comment of “…interesting” and it sounded as though she was writing.
She then informed me that there may be some nausea, but it would subside within the next hour, and that they would be in touch with information about the next step in the process.
I was fully expecting to be asked about who I am as a person and what I’m looking for, but I realize that people can present themselves as however they see fit and asking someone who they are and what they are looking for may not illicit as honest of an answer as we think or they want. This is an interesting and odd twist.
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Did anybody else have to sing??
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@kevin is right! They asked us all security questions. That’s actually really not good.
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@kevin exactly right. These questions can be used to verify our identity going forward. At least one question of the three for everyone is a VERY common internet/financial security question. Mothers maiden name, DOB, first concert, etc.
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@kevin – YES! It seems the last question asked was trying to get info we normally wouldn’t give up. Like you said, common security questions. Everyone who got a call….you might want to change your passwords and security questions. Data mining is back!
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I was at lunch with Brad and we had just paid the bill and he got a call from a restricted number so we stepped outside… He didn’t say much but “Lukewarm”, “Mexican” and “Hyundai Elantra” lol Once he got off the phone he told me he couldn’t talk about it until 3pm so we went our separate ways and I headed home. As I was pulling into the alley of my carport, my phone rang with a NO CALLER ID. So, of course, my palms started sweating and my heart started racing… I answered it and this spunky, happy sounding girl named Christy? or Chrissy introduced herself and said she was calling from IConfidant. I matched her excitement and asked how she was…
C: “I’m doing well Hannah, I am calling on behalf of Stacey. She is wrapped up in “another matter” right now. Is this a good time to ask you a few questions so we can find your perfect match?”
Me: “Yes absolutely, I’m all ears.”
C: “Great, now Hannah… wait… are you driving?”
Me: “No, I just parked my car.” (literally had just parallel parked, or attempted to amongst all my anxiety and nervousness)
C: “Oh okay, so I’m going to play something for you to listen to and I need you to put your ear up to the ear piece as tight as you can, and if you are in a noisy area, I would ask you to plug your other ear so you can really hear, are you able to do this?”
Me: “Yes, I’m ready.”
C: “Okay give me just one second…. ”
*Then this white noise, kind of soft static played in my ear. I thought I heard faint crickets, or outdoor noises. Very peaceful. It also kinda sounded like the quietness of someone sleeping at night. If there was something else meant to be heard, I blame my awful ears for not picking up on it**
C:” Okay Hannah, thank you. Now I’m going to ask you a couple of questions to help us find your match. The color Red: what do you smell when you see it?”
*I was starring at a stop sign when she asked this*
Me: “I smell… burning.”
C: “Burning? Interesting!! Hannah what is your mother’s maiden name?”
Me: ” Bogni.. B O G N I… It’s Italian”
C: “Bogni? Oh okay Italian.”
*We both shared a laugh*
C:” Okay Hannah I think that’s all we need to know for now. We will be getting back in touch with you soon. Oh also… don’t worry about the nausea… that will go away in about an hour. Thank you and we look forward to helping you find your true match!”
Me: “Umm thank you, so do I.”Now answer me this: the only time anyone ever asks questions about your mother’s maiden name or things peculiar and personal like that is when they are trying to verify you are you, correct? Meaning they already have your history in front of them, and they are just verifying.
I have to be honest, that phone call had me feeling very weird and queasy lol I was weirded out that she knew I was driving and the nausea comment made my whole body start to heat up. I’m excited to read everyone else’s phone calls, to see what was similar and different. How do my questions help in any way to find me my “best match” or my “true companion”? WEIRD!
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So we all just got data mined. Straight up.
Suddenly the friendly shiny new thing that is supposed to be the opposite of that mean old System© is actually far more sinister.
I feel played.
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I had a similar call. Intro, confirmation I’m not driving, asked me to plug my open ear so I could only hear the sound on the phone. My questions were:
Are you hot or cold? (neither, fuck false dichotomies)
Is there a type of food you typically enjoy that doesn’t sound appetizing right now? (Mexican)
What was the make and model of your first car?And yes, the last questions do seem to all be typical security / identity verification questions.
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Utterly bizarre that @mistere only got two questions, and specifically not the personal question. Any thoughts? Is someone able to post his Periscope?
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@kevin totally believe that, it makes me thing of that Brain hack you can do to people where you ask them a series of questions and then by the last question you have them answering truthfully to whatever the questions are, especially ones that really don’t sound like a big deal (like your mothers maiden name) until after the fact. That along with the high pitch noise, really gets you thrown off track and just gets you going with the flow. That’s pretty fucked?? I’d be curious if they do this again with the same people more down the line just with a different question at the end, after a few of these rapid fire questionings they would have three answers to your general security questions.
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1:57pm. Kristen introduces herself, says she understands I have spoken to Stacey, and thanks me for being so willing to take part.
Same as the other reports, put one finger in ear, then a low buzzing / modem type sound.
She asked me;
Am I now more aware of my teeth?
Mother or Father?
What is my greatest phobia?2:02pm. Kristen is calling again, I answer and say ‘Hello again’, and she asks if this is Darren. I say no, this is Morgan, we just spoke. She apologizes, says she must have dialed the wrong number.
She says that since we’re talking again, there are a couple of follow up questions she’d like to ask.
Firstly, my answer to the phobia question was the same as her own, and she’s seen that I’m a good looking guy, so why am I wanting to take part in this? I said that clearly she was right the first time and has dialed the wrong number. She laughed, and I offered to buy her dinner, and we’re meeting tonight at her favorite restaurant.Okay that last bit isn’t true. I asked if she was sure she wanted to know why I answered what I did, she said yes, so I gave her some context. I then apologized, but confirmed that I’d promised to be honest in all my answers to them. She said she was sorry to learn about my answer, got a little sad and then a little flustered, and said she’s got to go.
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@111error – It sounds like you’re the only one who wasn’t asked a common security question.
For all of us, the last question they’ve asked has been the most significant – the one we’d most likely want to take back. I wonder how they’ll use your “phobia” answer.
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If you got a call:
Change all of your important passwords. Now.
Consider using a service like LastPass.
Turn on multi-factor authentication on those accounts.
Change your security questions to custom questions that have answers that aren’t easily Googleable. High school mascots and mothers’ maiden names are amateur hour. You’re better than that. -
Got a call from Kristin, Stacey was busy around 1pm and was told I can’t discuss the call till 3pm. I had to agree on order to continue.
30second drone noise with layers of vocals in the back ground. My left ear still feels a little weird 2 hours later. I had it very loud as I didn’t know what to expect.
Questions
Where did the sound effect me most : HeadLight or Dark : Dark
Clarification . She did ask a 3rd question same as @jared She thanked me for my time and said I’ll be hearing from them again in the future, and I’m feeling weird it won’t last that long. That’s when I said thanks and she asked for my Mother’s maiden name, and thanked me for my time.
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@111error interesting… Who else do we know that’s named Darren? Is he doing iConfidant as well?
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So…. nobody else had to sing?
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@shinobi – Looks like that was all you, buddy
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@thegilded Well at least I got a new nickname out of it. My coworkers are now calling me Elton.
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Reading all of this has been great fun.
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Perhaps they are only trying to get the security info to get at information that will be useful to them to “find” (or create) your perfect companion. If there is already data available in electronic format on the internet that you can give a computerized system access to, why take the time and effort feeding it that information gained directly from the person?
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You have a lovely singing voice @shinobi – Kristen’s a lucky gal 😛
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@lenize If they were really interested in creating companions that way, why not get people to give them the info willingly, rather than phishing it out?
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@kevin, maybe it’s not what we think? I think that “whizzing” noise might have something to do with it? I wonder if peoples voices were being recorded? (If they can do that?)
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@hazelverse I lie about everything except for my undying devotion to cats.
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My periscope while @nothenrygale had his phone call… I don’t have any followers so I’m sure no one saw it lol
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@blondie Aww shucks. Except when she keeps telling you to sing louder and louder and you end up scream-singing like a moron. I still can’t stop laughing.
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@macbethinabathtub I got the 3rd question, it’s the way it was presented at the end of the call I totally didn’t remember it, and I didn’t write it down (lesson learned write it all down. Which is crazy to me, when I saw @jared post I remembered that I was asked at the very end of the call.
As for security questions, On documentation or sites, I never answer the question I have my own personal code so the name I give for mothers maiden is irrelevant.
Good catch @meghanmayhem
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@sfire8 Probably got lost in the activity feed, but I said earlier that I think the noise and first two questions were to cover for the third question, which is the info they really wanted.
I don’t believe you can record phone calls in California without both parties being aware, so they probably didn’t do that.
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@michelle I’m with you, these suckers are screwed.
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Well, @kevin if they were to straight come up to you (me/someone) and say, to “find” your companion we need your facebook, twitter etc. account names and passwords for our system to work, would most people be willing to give them full access? Whereas if they do it sneakily without people “knowing” that is what they have done, they have mysterious access to information to find this perfect companion and you as a client didn’t even need to fill in a bunch of forms and stuff.
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@kevin said
If they were really interested in creating companions that way, why not get people to give them the info willingly, rather than phishing it out?
What if the companion thing is just a cover. What if they’re trying to steal our identities to put in the robots. Then when we speak up that something is weird, they have all of our real info to tell people that WE are the ones stealing THEIR identity.
I have this vision in my head where we’re with the other “us” and it’s like in movies/cartoons where there’s a third party with a gun and each one of the twins is saying “I’m the real one, shoot him!”
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Normally I would not post this, but the timing is odd.
I was not accepted by Iconfidant nor rejected. I received a message stating they were aware of me and may contact me in the future to get me registered. I did NOT expect a phone call.
I did miss a No Caller ID call around the same time as people were receiving these calls, but I was in a meeting where I could not answer. (Sometimes work requires that.)
There is a chance that this is coincidence, but it seems a bit oddI would love to know more about this sound that was used… especially if any of you hear anything in your “real world” surroundings that it could be compared to in quality or tone.
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@mike “When they stop believing you, you know it has begun.”
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@russell I’m interested in that sound too…because that could be the Lust sound effect
OH YEAAHHHH
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@russell – It wasn’t the type of noise that people would generally be conscious of. If anything, it sounded like background noise. Like a generator running a couple rooms away
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@shaun – Holy shit….that totally fits! (That’s what she said)
Noah – that was for you if you’re seeing this
Virtual high five
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I should mention it’s SUPER SUS that my call came in just as @shankfx22 and I were about to leave the restaurant. Seriously, checks had been paid and everything. IT’S LIKE THEY KNEEEEEEW.
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@mike, Kristen and Stacey are so nice and sweet, I don’t think they would be so underhanded, their website also states that:
We employ the leading minds in digital security and all information is confidential and secure. Share and share away!
If they are using the information they gain to create an identity, I’m sure it will only be to help create a better companion for you personally, and hopefully not for any nefarious purposes 🙂
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Ok, back online. Did anyone else receive a call and NOT get an email back from iConfidant?
Call came in at 2:10, the caller was Kristen – Stacey was busy. Kristen had a sweet, bubbly personality. She asked if I had time to talk, I said yes but I needed to go to another area as my office is under construction. When I got to the other room she thanked me for ‘going somewhere quiet to talk.’
She asked me to put the phone close to my ear and concentrate on the sound. I couldn’t place the noise, it was almost like crinkly paper and dial up.
My three questions were:
Run, fly or swim?
Is there a food that you normally like that sounds unpleasant to you right now?
What is the name of the street you grew up on? (when I gave her the answer she asked me to spell it out.)She also let me know any nausea will subside within an hour and that they will be in contact with me shortly. The call ran for 2 minutes and 6 seconds, so super quick dialogue.
I just realized I missed a Restricted call on 4/9 – damn, probably a missed opportunity there.
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@michelle @summoningdark yea seriously I’m no longer that disappointed given the potential identity theft that’s about to go down. Plus I don’t do well with nausea.
@mike reminded me of this exact moment in Fallout 4 Which one’s the Synth?! -
Was anyone asked specifically to put their finger in the other ear before the sound started? Not sure if that was just because I was in a loud location (Thanks CityWalk…) or because they wanted to make sure the sound had the strongest effect possible on me (if the sound does indeed cause changes to the brain).
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@hazelverse I just used that gif YESTERDAY. ?
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@nothenrygale I was told that even though I said I was sitting in my living room.
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Okay… another theory. What if the comments about nausea and awareness are a misdirect and actually that sound was something being installed/downloaded to the phone device itself? THEN, the security question could be useful almost immediately if they have “spywared” their way onto people’s phones. The security question answer might give them a test as to the effectiveness of whatever they have installed on each device.
@thegilded Thanks for the help Sean, I understand more what people are talking about as far as the noise is concerned.
@mike I am sure you realize you just listed all the major plot points of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” right? Which, as @shaun points out, adds a heap o’ creepy to that quote!
And… yeah!!! It COULD be a more effective sound effect for the podcast! -
@111error I definitely think this is the most unique out of all the phone conversations.
Does this mean Darren is back in?
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@nothenrygale I was in a quiet room and she still told me to put my finger in my other ear, but she posed it more as an ‘if you feel like it’ rather than an instruction.
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Why would they tip their hand in less than 24 hours? Shouldn’t they be sneakier? If your Spidey senses weren’t tingling before, they should be now. You’re all doomed, except for @julierei who is invincible.
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To Add to @nothenrygale, it is also HIGHLY SUS that as I’m pulling into my driveway, they call me…. less than 20 min from when I was standing next to Brad while he was on his call.
Also, @russell is that seriously possible? lol That is terrifying. And if it is possible, then we are all subjected to hacks on our phones.
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@lenize – I remember a lot of people, myself included, saying the same thing about a certain organization last year 😉
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I am just getting out of a PDP training that went all day today. I made sure to step out at 1pm to take this call today though. The content of my call went very similar to the other posts people had today. Kristen called me because Stacey was busy. She was very enthusiastic and had a pleasant voice. It was infectious. It made me more chipper as an effect.
She asked me if I had time to answer a few questions for her and I told her I set aside time for this very thing. Then she asked me if I was driving and I said I was not, I was in a private office. She told me she was going to play something for me and I was to concentrate on it–if it was loud in there to put a finger in my other ear (which I did even though it wasn’t loud). Much like others, it sounded distant, some sort of machine, a whirring sound–almost like the crinkling of paper.
After that she said she was going to ask me a series of questions:
Is it easier to blink with your left or right eye: Right.
Mother or Father: Mother
Name of First Pet: MosesShe said “well isn’t that biblical?” and we laughed. I’m not religious in the slightest, but my parents named him. Anyways, she said she’d be in contact soon and hung up. She was amiable and extremely pleasant.
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Ok so… The email I sent yesterday seemed to pique some people’s interest, especially with the response I got back. So I sent a follow up email, and lets just say… I must have turned Stacy… Off… Because I didn’t get a response or a phone call, which I am kinda glad I did not. Im loopy enough as it its, I dont need any sound mind hacking going on up there.
So here it is. My response email. I was trying to play off of the whole “Are you flirting with me” thing. And this email is a bit… Much… So keep that in mind if you decide to read it.
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@lukasrl, also interesting because her response is one of the only ones not mirroring your initial email back to you. Maybe you caught her off guard with your charm?
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Aw shit. I just realized something. Kristen told me to serenade her. So I started singing softly and sweetly. Then she kept saying, “Louder please,” and I did to the point that I was eventually yelling the lyrics. That’s not a serenade. I was just following her orders. I’m a fucking robot.
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@shinobi
“Killin me softly with his song…KILLIN ME SOOOOOFTLY.”
Just imaging you screaming lyrics into a phone like a crazy person. -
@theladyj Yeah, it was pretty humiliating. Haha! And hilarious. Just call me Elton, Confidant.
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@mike, for now at least there is no evidence that they are doing anything other than trying to help the people who have signed up, so I will be giving them the benefit of the doubt.
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FWIW, @coryphella
“Hi Otis. Have you ever heard about this thing?: https://iconfidant.net Seems like something that would be nice to have…a confidant who’s there to share your highs and lows. I’m signing up, too”
“can’t say that i have david but it all looks a bit confusing for an old timer like myself! I still am learning how to make the smileys! ?”
From Otis.
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