Posted on 04/18/2007 7:43:51 AM PDT by SubGeniusX
Call it 1-800-OOPS.
Seven Nassau Republican legislators, led by Minority Leader Peter Schmitt, had good intentions when they urged constituents to call a toll-free number to be notified when convicted sex offenders move into their neighborhoods.
"Nassau County Legislator Peter J. Schmitt wants you to be protected from sexual predators," said the headline on the postcard his office mailed in cooperation with Parents for Megan's Law, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of sex abuse.
Unfortunately, the 1-800 number printed on the card prompts callers to another 800-number -- a sex chat line.
"Hey there, sexy guy," says the sultry recorded female voice that answers the phone. "Welcome to an exciting new way to go live, one on one, with hot horny girls waiting right now to talk to you."
Republican spokesman Ed Ward acknowledged, "Apparently there was an error in the phone number."
Instead of 1-800, it should have been 1-888, he explained. Ward said he didn't know who made the error or how it was made.
Constituents alerted Republicans to the problem soon after the mailings went out late last month to all but two of the nine Republican districts, Ward said. At that point, dialing the 1-800 number put callers directly onto the sex talk line for a fee. Ward said Schmitt's office was able to get the prompt to another number so that unsuspecting callers wouldn't be dumped into the chatroom without notice.
"The intent was to alert homeowners and parents to join the Parents for Megan's Law e-mail alert program," Ward said. "They could go on the computer and get an alert if a sex offender lives on their block or in their neighborhood."
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
why does it seem that this happens a little too often
1-800 gate!
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