This is a true story and I feel really bad about it.
My 800 number in Canada is 1-800-972-6246. The Santa hot line number in the USA is 1-800-972-6242.
Each year we get quite a few children that miss dial the number and get our company 800 line instead of the Santa line. Usually we just tell them that they have missed dialed the number and get them to try again. Last year I answered the phone as Santa and talked to the kids. I own my own Santa suite. Another story.
This year someone published our number on TV and in the Newspapers, Schools sent our number home with students. Our 800 line was ringing off the hook. It was constant. At first we tried to redirect the people calling, but the volume was over whelming. We tried not answering it for a day but that just about drove us nuts. Finally I had to call the phone company and have them restrict access to our 800 line from the USA.
Now all the little children phoning Santa only get a message that the number you dialed is not available from your area. (Or something like that)
Merry Christmas
PW
The US economy is a giant Ponzi scheme. And 'to big to fail' is code speak for 'niahnahniahniahnah 99 percenters'