This Is Why The Fake Phone Numbers In Movies Start With 555

Admit it: When you were a kid, and you saw someone on television write down their number as 555-XXXX, you tried calling it with your friends.

Maybe you were up for a prank call, or maybe you really wanted to see who would pick up on the other line, but you’d only be met with disappointment as it turned out to be a fake number.

The main reason movies and television shows used a 555-XXXX number is because, for decades, nobody was assigned a phone number beginning with 555—with the exception of an operator for directory assistance at 555-1212