Girl killed on phone

[snopes]

Comment: I am a middle school teacher in Texas. In the last 2 days I've
taken 5 cell phones away from students using them during class. They are
calling a number where supposedly a girl answers and they hear screaming
as if the girl is being killed and some other things of the same sort,
then the line goes dead. Several of the students have then started
receiving text messages saying things about them being killed, or that the
person they called following them. The number they are calling is:
216-333-1810
I've tried to tell them that it is a scam, but many have approached me
today because they are "scared".

[HollowMan]

After a quick search, the number seems to be a promotional scheme for Nine Inch Nails. A sort of web game, in the same vein as that Heroes game in the other thread.

Here's a bit at NinWiki

[Malruhn]

Why the heck are they using a Cleveland, Ohio, phone number??

Go figure.

[Wolf333]

Originally Posted by Malruhn

Why the heck are they using a Cleveland, Ohio, phone number??

Go figure.

Trent Reznor was raised in Cleveland.

[TrishDaDish]

Well, that were interesting. I just called the phone number, having no life. It's a girl screaming for her friend to get her out of a stock room, that police have locked her and others in while someone's doing something frightening in the background (there's occasional gun fire). Then the girl suddenly stops yelling, the firend yells the girl's name, the line goes dead, then a "computerized operator" voice says "Good bye" and the number hangs up on you. The whole thing is a little over 2 minutes long.

ETA: Here's a linky with the dialogue

and the point of that is?

How stupid!

[BringTheNoise]

Originally Posted by MissBethiepoo

and the point of that is?

To encourage people to buy NIN CDs, t-shirts, etc by associating them with something "cool". I'd prefer if they stuck to just making great music, to be honest.

BringThe "I want to NFBSK you like an animal" Noise

I read an article the other day (EW or CNN or something, I don't remember) about the new/upcoming NIN album and a supposed movie that was going to be developed along side it. The premise is that it has a bit a "The Matrix" vibe to it and that all sorts of websites, "lost" flashdrives and such are being setup as part of a viral campaign. I imagine this phone number is a part of the whole thing.

[defaultcrush]

Originally Posted by MissBethiepoo

and the point of that is?

How stupid!

There's a huge Alternative Reality Game around the release of their new album. You can read about it at the unfiction forums if you're so inclined. I think it's actually a cool way to do promotion, if it's done right.

Edited to add: the NINWiki that someone else linked to is much more concise. Here's a synopsis of what's happened so far.

[Ezri]

I just listened to it, before it played it had a message about "Replaying" Message J (Insert Random numbers here) besides if it were real the police would be all over it.

[Griffin2020]

One the back of the new Album is a "warning" placard with an 800 number. (866-445-6580).

It is a bit of an interesting message.

[46liter]

I called this number from work. Does that mean I am hosed?

[Dark-HunterJenn]

I guess I am being "wire tapped" now...at least that is the message I got. Odd.

My friend was just over at my house last night telling me about this new NIN Alternate Reality Game. It sounds like a fun new promotional tool that a lot of companies seems to be using now. It's kind of like a scavanger hunt for the fans. Really creative I think. My friend played me the message from the number that comes with the cd. I just had to laugh.

Also they are using this technique to promote the upcoming Batman Begins sequal. They placed campaign posters in serveral major cities displaying Batman charactor Harvey Dent (Two-Face) with the phrase "I believe in Harvey Dent" printed across the bottom. Within a day or 2 all the posters were defaced and had the phrase "I believe in Harvey Dent Too" across the bottom. If you visited the website Ibelieveinharveydenttoo.com they reveiled a picture of the Joker one pixcel at a time from the upcoming film. I'm not sure if they are going to continue with more clues to promote the film.

It looks like Ibelieveinharveydenttoo.com is down now.

[finkles2000]

It's a frakkin' CD, for pete's sake. Put out some singles on iTunes and myspace and call it a day. This is just waaaaayyy too pretentious and self-involved for me. Call me old-fashioned, but I think the music should be able to speak for itself.