Wrong number

A wrong number is a telephone number mistakenly dialed differently from intended, thereby reaching a different party than the one planned. The wrong number may have been dialed either because the caller accidentally entered the numbers incorrectly on the phone itself, or was provided the number inaccurately from the source in which the number was obtained [ [http://www.yourdictionary.com/wrong-number wrong number - definition of wrong number from YourDictionary.com ] ] . More rarely, a wrong number can be reached when the phone malfunctions and the number that is dialed by the machine is different from what the caller enters. The recipient of a wrong number is usually unknown to the caller; common exceptions are calls made by selecting the incorrect entry from a phone with one-touch preprogrammed buttons or a directory, or by correctly dialing a known number, not realizing that it isn't the number of the intended recipient.

On a landline, wrong numbers are harmless to the recipient other than the annoyance of answering an unwanted call. But on a cell phone, if the plan charges minutes on incoming calls, a wrong number may cost the subscriber one or more minutes.

Some common ways in which a wrong number is dialed include:
*Pressing one or more wrong keys on the keypad of the phone (example 2379 rather than 2349)
*Pressing a key on the phone pad more times than appears in succession in the phone number, thereby completing the length of the number prior to completing the intended number (example 7522-7 with the final 7 being ignored rather than 7527)
*Getting the digits in the phone number out of order (example 3416 rather than 3146)

Proper telephone etiquette requires that the wrongly dialed party politely inform the caller of that fact, and also that the caller apologize rather than simply hanging up. Often the two parties will confirm whether or not the intended number is indeed the number that was reached (e.g. "Is this 555-6784"?) before ending the call. It is widely considered "dangerous" for the called party to disclose their phone number... rather it is considered more prudent to require the calling party to state which number he dialed and for the called party to simply confirm whether or not that is his number. The reason for this perception is unclear.

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