Man’s phone number goes to the dogs

Sending the wrong message: The message that went viral using the salesman's phone number.

GEORGE TOWN: A home appliances salesman has been on the edge for the past two weeks after his handphone number appeared in a prank message asking people to adopt pedigrees, free of charge, rescued from a “dog slaughter house”.

Sam Tan’s ordeal began when people started contacting him after the message went viral recently.

“Initially, I replied to them, thinking they got the wrong number. After a day, my handphone was flooded endlessly with messages,” said Tan, 28.

He estimated that he must have received thousands of messages via SMS, WhatsApp, WeChat and other chat services.

“It was unbelievable. I can’t use the phone at all now,” he said, adding that he had to put his gadget on flight mode.

Thankfully, Tan said he has a back-up phone with a different line so he was able to use that.

The Facebook page of Malaysian Independent Animal Rescue declared that the message was a hoax.

“I think someone who dislikes me started it. The message stated that people should contact my phone number before Oct 15, so I hope I’ll be able to use the number again after that,” he said, adding however that he did not intend to go to the police.

In Penang, college student Kok Ai Wei, 20, received the WhatsApp message and tried to call Tan’s number yesterday.

“I was shocked to hear about the slaughter house. But I was also excited about the chance to adopt a Husky or a poodle. But when I called, I got a computerised message that said the voicemail was full,” he said.

School teacher J.Y. Shen, 40, also received the message but was not taken by it.

“The chance to adopt prized pedigrees for free? A dog slaughter house? Come on!” Shen said.