The Mystery of Persistent Pizza Hut Calls: A Personal Account

Has your phone ever been the target of relentless prank calls? If so, then you might relate to my recent experience, which has turned into an unusual saga involving Pizza Hut.

From the moment the clock struck 9 AM this morning, my phone has been inundated with constant calls—approximately every two minutes—from various Pizza Hut locations along the West Coast. Each time I answered, I was met with bewildered employees who insisted I was the one who initiated the call. What started with local numbers rapidly escalated to calls from Washington and California—definitely not what I expected from the pizza chain!

Curious yet baffled, I took the initiative to return some of the calls and discovered they were indeed legitimate Pizza Hut numbers. The employees, however, seemed oblivious to the bizarre situation, responding as if they were humorously being pranked themselves. Given that I was expecting an important call from work, I had to field the incoming calls, particularly those from numbers with Oregon area codes.

After a lengthy conversation with Pizza Hut’s support team—a surprisingly convoluted experience—I learned that they were unable to block my number due to the independent nature of their franchises. However, they promised to send a memo to all locations to put my number on a blacklist.

Fast forward to day two of this peculiar ordeal, and the calls show no signs of abating. With a heavy heart, I made my way to Verizon to change my phone number. Their technicians speculated that the issue might stem from a service called “Prank Hotline,” which allows individuals to make amusing and annoying calls. Thankfully, I managed to set up a Google Voice number to mitigate the situation.

In a last-ditch effort, I secured a flip phone for just $5, allowing me to retain my old number and monitor the situation further. Alas, despite my efforts, the calls persisted. Initially, the staff at Verizon found my plight entertaining, but as the calls continued, their amusement faded into frustration. They ultimately advised me to contact the police.

I reached out to my local non-emergency police department, where the officers couldn’t help but chuckle at my predicament. After some discussion, they took my phone as evidence, hoping that it might lead them to the prankster responsible. Though I felt a pang of sadness when relinquishing my device, I cling to the hope that justice might be served.

Now, as the laughter fades, I’m left