An Adelaide woman has been left shaken after a stranger confessed he memorised her phone number while standing behind her in line at a Dan Murphy’s.
Elle Barker, 25, who was shopping with her boyfriend Dylan, thought nothing of reading out her membership details at the checkout.
But just hours later, she picked up her phone to find a bizarre message from an unknown number that read: ‘Did you think that you are immune.’
‘When I saw the message, my stomach dropped,’ Elle told Daily Mail.
‘It really disturbed me because there was no context, but it felt like a directed message. It wasn’t just a “hi” from an unknown number – it sounded threatening. Even if it had been a mistake, it immediately made me uneasy.’
She blocked the number but couldn’t shake the feeling something was wrong so she did some sleuthing online and found the stranger’s first initial and family name via PayID – but she didn’t recognise it.
Her friends decided to call the number back to check how he got her number – leaving them shocked when he told them the truth.
The man who answered confessed he had been behind her in line at Dan Murphy’s and managed to memorise her phone number as she read it out to an employee at the checkout.
Elle Barker, 25, who was shopping with her boyfriend Dylan, thought nothing of reading out her membership details at the checkout. Elle picked up her phone to find a bizarre message from an unknown number that read: ‘Did you think that you are immune’
Her friends decided to call the number back to check how he got her number – leaving them shocked when he told them the truth.
‘He said he wanted to prove how easy it is to get people’s details,’ Elle recalled.
‘When I heard that, my skin crawled. His voice on the phone made me feel sick – he sounded extremely intoxicated and completely out of it.
‘The whole thing was an immediate wake-up call for me. I had been paying zero attention to my surroundings all afternoon.’
Daily Mail has contacted Dan Murphy’s for comment.
Elle admits she had always worried about the risk of saying her details out loud in public but never thought it would actually happen.
‘We do it so often – at the doctor’s office, the chemist, in shops when they look up your membership,’ she explained.
‘I always feared someone would overhear but thought I was being dramatic because I would never do that to someone else.’
She pointed out the frightening ‘what ifs’ that raced through her mind afterwards.
‘This could have happened to someone more vulnerable – a woman shopping alone, walking out to her car in an underground car park.
Elle admits she had always worried about the risk of saying her details out loud in public but never thought it would actually happen
‘He could have followed me home and I would have had no idea. You just don’t know what people are capable of.’
The incident has left her far more conscious of personal safety.
‘In hindsight, I wasn’t even aware of who was standing behind me in line,’ she said.
‘I was completely oblivious. If I hadn’t been with Dylan, I might have walked out into that car park alone and been followed without realising. It’s terrifying to think about.’
Now she wants others to be cautious about how and where they share personal information.
‘There are safer alternatives,’ Elle said.
‘Membership cards can be digital, you can use card apps, or even have your number written down on your phone to show at the counter. We need to stop reading out our details aloud in public – it’s just too risky.’
Her story has struck a chord online, with many pointing out just how easily personal information can be overheard and misused.
Elle’s story has struck a chord online, with many pointing out just how easily personal information can be overheard and misused
Personal safety tips for shoppers
Security experts recommend taking simple steps to protect yourself in public:
- Avoid saying personal details out loud in crowded places – instead, use digital membership cards, phone apps or show your number written down.
- Stay alert in queues and car parks. Take a quick look around to see who’s nearby, especially if shopping alone.
- Keep personal details private online. If you get an unknown message or call, don’t engage – block the number immediately.
- Have a plan in car parks. Walk with purpose, keep your keys in hand, and if you feel unsafe, ask staff to walk you to your car.
- Trust your instincts. If something feels ‘off’, it usually is – leave the area and call for help if needed.
