Best Conference Call Screw-Up -- EVER

This email has been making the rounds of law firm associates around the country. By the time it reached us, the lengthy forwarding chain included these endorsements (among many others):

“Priceless.”

“Brilliant!”

“This absolutely made my day.”

“Funniest dial-in screw-up in the history of civilization.”

Here’s the original email (with merciful redactions by us):
From: [redacted]@cravath.com
Sent: Tuesday, February 20, 2007 5:25 PM
To: [A long list of recipients at top law firms and investment banks]
Subject:
Please use the following dial-in information for a drafting call tomorrow at 2 PM EST.
Dial-in: (888) 939-2662
Password: 212 474 [xxxx]
[redacted]
Corporate Associate
Cravath, Swaine & Moore, LLP
To enjoy the full experience, pick up your phone and dial the number yourself: 1-888-939-2662.
It will only take you a minute. And it’s a toll-free call.
But if you don’t have the time, read our transcription of the message that awaits you, after the jump.


When you dial the number provided by this Cravath associate for the “drafting call,” you hear the following, in a sultry, female voice:

“The number you have reached is 888-939-2662, brought to you by Frontier. For more fun chatting with the girl of your dreams, call 800-555-SEXX. That’s 800-555-7399.”

“Only 3.99 per minute, billed to your credit card. Or call 900-386-3263, billed to your home telephone.”

“Sponsored by Frontier. You must be 18 to use these programs. Call NOW!!!”

One of the recipients of this message made the following observation:

“Look at how many people this guy cc’d on his e-mail, including tons of senior Davis Polk partners. Close your door and try the dial-in…. Fantastic.”

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We’re curious: How did this mistake occur? Was it a simple typographical error?
Or is this Cravath associate a regular customer of Frontier, who saw a toll-free number jotted down on a scrap of paper next to his phone, mistook it for the dial-in number, and sent it out to the entire distribution list for the deal?
Regardless of how it happened, we’re glad that it did (and grateful to this Cravath associate). We laughed out loud when we reached that number.
Heck, we think we’re going to dial it again, right now…

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