I have repeatedly received a call from USBC for a course I signed up for. I cancelled the course with 48 hours and nevr even received the course material. I have repeatedly calle dthe school and was told that it was a mistake and that it would be taken care of. Obviously it wasn't.
While I agree with "when a poster here cries wolf, ... it impacts the entire site's credibility", I cannot agree with "It only takes a few wannabe shepherds crying wolf to make us all look like hotheaded idiots" because that's somewhere between unsubstantiated and false. The "hotheaded idiots" make themselves look like "hotheaded idiots". They don't make me look like a "hotheaded idiot". The problem with claiming "make us all look like hotheaded idiots" is this provides a path forward to try to control "hotheaded idiots[']" speech which is best left to 800notes Admin Staff and not to you or I. I remind you that "hotheaded idiots[']" speech has the same First Amendment protection as yours or mine. I say let the "hotheaded idiots" post as they wish and let things fall come what may.
I cannot agree with "someone you gave your number too (almost any and everyone you have given it to) has passed it on to a data collection firm, credit bureau, etc." The odds of this happening is extremely because Jennifer would only have given it to her family and inner circle of friends who understand the sanctity of an unlisted private number.