Very strange...I get a call on my landline phone late this afternoon, about 4pm. Man says, Hi, This is Giovanni, is this Barbie? Nice, polite, well modulated voice but not familiar. And err, I never call myself Barbie. But, I meet a lot of people and who knows what name they may think of me as? So I say, This is Barb but I don't know any Giovannis so where do you know me from? He says, but we've talked so much on the chat line.

Bzzzt!

No, wrong answer. I've -NEVER- chatted on a phone chat line. I tell him, sorry no way. Never use them. He insists, very politely, that he recognises my voice. I don't think so.

I tell him someone must have given him my name and number but it's not me and I'm not interested. He says lets chat anyway. Jeez, what is this, some new pick-up technique? (This is all the shorthand version obviously) He's very apologetic and extremely polite, sounds as if he thinks this is weird, too.., says he's so sorry, please excuse and we end the call.

Now I'm doing a paranoia-instant replay and wondering if it was a simple mistake or some new scary criminal ploy? Like identity theft set-up or some deviant sex thing.

Arrgh! I know I should have just said - sorry, don't know any Giovanni- and just hung up. I didn't give out any info except yes there is a Barbie/Barb/someone at the number he dialed. But still, it's freaking weird.