I have an internet phone mail service which I use for situations where I need to supply a phone number but I don't want to give out my unlisted home phone or my cell number -- usually things like if I buy some item online and the vendor needs a contact number, situations where I MIGHT need to receive the call, but I don't want to risk ending up on some telemarketing list (I don't trust Do Not Call lists). I've NEVER used the number for hobby-related activities. Anyway, last week my email notified me that I'd received a message (a rare occurrence). These calls are usually wrong numbers, so I didn't get around to listening to the message for a couple days. A voice says, "This is Detective Kent from the Smallville Police Dept. Give me a call regarding an investigation I'm working on" and he leaves a number. I Googled the number and it was legitimate.

So right away I'm wondering, "How the hell did he get THIS number?" At first, I wasn't overly concerned because I have nothing to hide. But then  I remembered the hobby. Even then, it's an extreme long shot the call is hobby-related because my encounters are few and far between and have been confined to major metropolitan areas. The call was from a police dept in a neighboring small town. So far, I haven't heard back. So I'm wondering: should I just continue to ignore the call? Should I return the call? Most likely, it's something innocuous. But I'd hate to risk an officer showing up at my door asking embarrassing questions. My gut tells me at least to wait to see if I get another call.

And does anyone have any idea how the officer could have gotten that particular number but not my home, cell or work number?

I've been contacted by the cops before and it was not related with the fact I am a provider.

When they called me I was freaking out thinking about every single possibility of them being after me for prostituition...and it was not the case.

They were the US Marshalls,  hunting for someone who jumped the bail and disappeared.

When I went to talk to them I was shaking like a leaf...it was like the lamb going into the lions den for me.

Of course they knew what I did for living, but they were not interested in ME but in an aquaintance who was out on a high bail and suppose to turn himself in...he didn't and they were contacting every person who knew him in the past.

You know, when we have a guilty conscience we think the worse.

Call them and find out...if you do NOT call or help them it's called "obstruction of justice" and they might get a court order and knock on your door.

That's what the marshalls told me they were going to do with the few people who were refusing to cooperate with them.

Good luck!

The right answer is to have a lawyer call them back.  Hopefully it's a lawyer with whom you have a confidential relationship and will watch out for all your interests.

It comes up as Detective Clark Kent from the Smallville Police Dept, Its a joke..have a look yourself..

Am I Rip Van Winkle and after a 20 year nap I wake up to find that the SS and the KGB have teamed up to run this country? I know we are sliding in that direction but I didn't think we had quite arrived yet.

-- Modified on 9/17/2007 1:24:08 PM

It's been few years since it happened, so I do not remember their "exact" words.

I was asked few questions about the guy and if I knew where he went or could possibly be in hidding.

I told them the truth, I was not that friends with him so I didn't have much to tell.

I had no idea where he was because my relationship with him was superficial, but my mail address and phone number came up during the time they were digging his whereabouts.

I am not lying, the guy had like a week to get his affairs in order before he turned himself in to serve his sentence...he disappeared instead.

Like I said, sometimes is nothing related to YOU but other people we happen to know under other circunstances.

talk to a lawyer.  At least hit the legal forum.

Just call him back. Like you said it probably is not related to the hobby. But if you dont call back that looks funny as if you had something to hide. You will also be tossing and turning losing sleep wondering what it is. Its always better to be proactive. Vs. reactive. Its probably totally unrelated, but i would post the question on the legal board and explanin the situation and get advice on how to handle the call if indeed he starts to ask you hobby questions. Just call him back but first get yourself informed for the "worst case scenario".

they just said it to scare you.. what cops can do and what cops threaten to do are 2 entirely different things..


most likely they are investigating one of the online vendors that you have done business with... thats why they only have that #.

You should call them back.  Maybe the next time it is hobby-related you can call in a favor  

If you've never visited a provider in that small town, it is unlikely they are calling about that.  Furthermore, if it was, they would be calling on the phone you contacted the provider on.  Not on some unlisted internet voicemail system.

It may be the case that the phone number you have belonged to someone else before it became yours.  They may be trying to track that down.  Also it is possible that someone they have a pen register on (a simple wiretap) mis-dialed your number.

On the remote chance that it does revolve around your hobbying, have a look at http://www.theeroticreview.com/discussion_boards/viewmsg.asp?MessageID=7621&boardID=25&page=1 for some good advice.

Good luck

Really?...tell me you have changed the names and location to protect the innocent!  If detective "Kent" from "Smallville" is on the loose....he must be looking for someone named Lex!!!  Superman must be slippin' in his old age...lol!!!

If he really wanted to talk to you for whatever reason, be it to question you about a crime or ask for your help, the Detective would have called you again when he didn't hear back from you in a timely manner.

Not calling someone back isn't against the law. And there's nothing you really gain by calling the guy back either. You think he's gonna overlook a crime, or even a speeding ticket for that matter, in the future because you were nice enough to call him back? Nope.

I say...where there's smoke, there's fire, or at least something that is really smoky, so turn around and go the other way.

Especially to intimidate a person to give information.

Anyone with half a brain would realize that I used the terms "Detective Kent" and "Smallville" because I didn't want to use the real name and town. I guess I should've written "Detective So-and-So" from "Such-and-Such" Police Department so people like you would understand. Maybe YOU should have a look at yourself

Just to satify my curiosity, who knows maybe it has soemthing to do with a "real" crime and isn't hobby related at all. OTOH if you decide not to return his call, I wouldn't lose any sleep over it. Not returning a call, is not a crime, not yet at least. lol If it truly is important I'm sure he'll call back.