For the past several weeks, I have been paying for someone else's proofreading--or rather, lack of proofreading--mistake.

A major health insurance provider sent out a letter to hundreds of Medicare Part D Supplemental customers with a "please call" message. Right in the center of the letter, in large bold print, is my phone number instead of theirs.

When I got the first phone call, it sounded like just another case of the caller misdialing. When the second, third, and fourth call followed, it became crystal clear that someone somewhere had made a tiny error with enormous implications. So far, I've received calls from Indiana, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Washington D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Tennessee, and Arizona.

Of course, I contacted the insurance provider and reported the mistake, but the damage is already done. Until all of the insurance customers receive the correction letter, I will continue to get calls not intended for me.

The first few calls were funny, but it didn't take long before I started to worry. This is more than just an annoyance. It has the potential to be very expensive. I have a toll-free number. Every time someone calls me, I get charged. The longer the caller stays on the line, the more it costs....Click here to read the rest of this post at the Sunny Words Blog.

The Sunny Words Blog is authored by VAF member AnnaLisa of Sunny Words Writing Services.


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AnnaLisa, I was so upset for you reading this - has it been resolved finally? Did you calculate the actual monetary cost of this mistake? So frustrating to see something like that happen, especially given your background in writing and editing! Perhaps you can get the company who sent out the faulty letter to hire YOU for proofing services instead?

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How horribly frustrating! I hope that your bill for their mistake wasn't as frustrating as all of the mis-directed phone calls!

Ladies, I apologize for not responding! I didn't realize my post had reposted here until now. Thank you for your comments and concern!

The stream of calls has dwindled to less than a trickle now. Changing my VM message to explain the (other guy's!) mistake made a huge difference. MOST callers have honored my request not to leave a message if it's about the insurance letter, so the cost to me has stayed quite low. My toll-free service tracks all calls, not just the ones that leave messages, and seeing how many in the past six weeks have hung up after hearing the message gives me a great big WHEW! every time. I've decided that message will stay on my VM until I've gone a solid month with NO misdirected calls.

So, for me this turned out to be less painful than I anticipated. (And heck, I got a great object lesson for my blog out of it.) For the insurer? I certainly hope they've learned a lesson from the chaos.

P.S. Re/ pitching my proofing services to the insurer--I thought about it, but I doubt either party could have an objective relationship with the other after a start like this. Frankly, I'd rather not go there.

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AnnaLisa Michalski, Sunny Words Writing Services

AnnaLisa, so sorry to hear about this! And wow, Medicare stuff. I imagine you received tons of calls. Glad to hear it seems to be almost over for you!!

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Pam Deyerle - Transcriptionist in the Richmond, Virginia area
The Perfect Word Transcription Services

Fair enough So glad to hear it's resolving and not costing you as much as it could!

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Wow, what a headache. Glad it is coming to an end.

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Darrell A. Williams
RFPs FREE E-Book