Rumors of cursed phone numbers have circulated for years, but none rivals the eerie buzz surrounding a Bulgarian number that’s gained an infamous reputation. Stories say answering or owning this number spells disaster, and those who do often meet a grim fate. Is there any truth to these claims, or is it just another urban legend that grew legs in the digital age? Let’s explore the chilling tale of the phone number that allegedly leads to death.
The Infamous Number: Origins of the Legend
It all starts with a string of digits: +359 888 888 888. This Bulgarian mobile phone number isn’t just unique because of its repetition. Around the early 2000s, it became notorious because, allegedly, everyone assigned to it died under mysterious or violent circumstances. Overnight, it moved from being just a vanity number to an emblem of dread across Bulgaria and, soon, the world.
A Pattern of Tragedy
The legend states that every owner of this number faced an untimely, often shocking, death. These were not quiet passings. Public figures and businessmen became its victims, according to widespread rumors. The unsettling pattern of tragedy gave the number an air of paranormal mystery, something that tabloids and websites picked up quickly. Over time, the number gained a cursed aura that outshone anything seen before in the world of mobile phones.
The Victims: Coincidence or Curse?
The stories didn’t spread without reason. There are three well-documented cases connected to this cursed phone number, all involving high-profile Bulgarians. While their stories differ, each met a violent end while the number was registered in their name.
Vladimir Grashnov: The First Owner
Vladimir Grashnov was the CEO of Mobitel, one of Bulgaria’s largest mobile phone companies. He was the original owner of the number during the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 2001, Grashnov died from cancer at only 48 years old. While cancer is not a rare disease, some found his relatively young age suspicious. Rumors quickly latched onto his death, fueling speculation that the digits themselves were to blame.
Konstantin Dimitrov: The Mob Boss
After Grashnov, the number allegedly went to Konstantin Dimitrov, known for his links to organized crime. In December 2003, while dining publicly in Amsterdam, he was shot and killed at just 31 years old. As a notorious figure, Dimitrov’s death made international news. According to legends, at the time of his death, this “cursed” number was in his possession, cementing the superstitious link between the number and a fatal end.
Konstantin Dishliev: The Drug Lord
The third notable case involves Konstantin Dishliev, an alleged drug baron. He owned several businesses and was implicated in large-scale narcotics trafficking. In 2005, assassins gunned him down outside a Sofia restaurant. Like Dimitrov and Grashnov, Dishliev was reportedly assigned the infamous number at the time of his death. The pattern was impossible to ignore: three high-profile deaths, all linked by a single phone number.
Media Hysteria and Public Fear
Once the media picked up on these tragic coincidences, the number’s reputation changed for good. Bulgarian newspapers published sensational stories, warning the public of its alleged powers. International outlets soon followed. With each article and TV segment, the legend of the “death number” grew ever stronger.
Rumors swirled that anyone daring enough to answer a call from this number would meet a similar fate. Some claimed the number itself was “cursed by the dead.” Even rational-minded people found it hard to brush off the uncomfortable association with such high-profile misfortune. The number became more than a string of eights. In the public mind, it was a harbinger of doom.
Vanity Numbers and Superstition
Vanity numbers are prized for their memorability and status. Yet, in this case, the ominous pattern of tragedies reversed its desirability. What was once a symbol of status transformed into a warning sign. The public wasn’t just scared; they actively avoided anything connected with the string of eights. This widespread fear was strong enough that Mobitel, the company that owned the number, had to take action.
The Company’s Response: Retirement of the Number
When the number’s sinister reputation reached a boiling point, Mobitel made an unprecedented decision. The company removed +359 888 888 888 from use entirely. Anyone who dialed it would hear an automated message saying the number was no longer in service. Mobitel didn’t make a public statement on the matter, choosing not to fan the flames further. However, sources inside the company confirmed the number would never be issued again.
This quiet action sent a loud message to the public: the phone company took the rumors seriously. Whether the reason was to protect customer confidence, avoid further rumors, or out of genuine concern is not known. Either way, the “death number” became a kind of modern myth, a whisper on the lips of Bulgarians wary of tempting fate.
The Spread of the Legend
While the story began in Bulgaria, the legend soon spilled beyond its borders. The internet played a vital role. Blogs, forums, and social media buzzed over the story of the deadly phone number. Soon, it began popping up in listicles promising the creepiest mysteries on the web.
Virality in the Digital Age
Urban legends thrive in the connected world. Stories once passed down in whispers now reach millions in a day. The tale of +359 888 888 888 hit just the right notes: real names, public deaths, and a mystery that’s easy to retell. Each new post added another twist, sometimes muddling facts but always preserving the core claim. People around the world began to wonder if there were cursed numbers hiding in their own area codes.
To this day, the number often appears in videos, articles, and social media threads focusing on strange and unsolved mysteries. The legend has grown far beyond the original news reports, morphing into a modern myth that feels both timeless and contemporary.
Why Do We Believe in Cursed Numbers?
Stories of cursed objects or numbers aren’t new. Cultures worldwide have long associated certain numbers with luck, doom, or supernatural power. But why do stories like the Bulgarian “death number” spread so quickly, and why do people find them so compelling?
The Role of Pattern Recognition
Humans are pattern-seeking creatures. Our brains look for connections, especially where danger is involved. When three men connected to the same number suffered violent deaths, it felt more than coincidental, even if logically, it might have been. For many, it’s easier to believe in a curse than to accept that powerful, dangerous people may simply face higher risks.
Numbers in Culture and Superstition
In the West, the number 13 is considered unlucky; in East Asia, the number 4 is feared because its pronunciation sounds like “death.” Repeating numbers, especially ones as striking as “888888888,” catch the eye and seem pregnant with meaning. Eight, in some Asian cultures, actually symbolizes wealth or fortune. In this story, though, its repetition became a signpost of misfortune instead.
The Media Effect
Repeated media coverage can lend legitimacy to almost any claim. When respected outlets publish stories, it’s easy for readers to set aside their skepticism. News about three deaths linked by the same phone number, with little else in common, was sensational gold. Each retelling made the number’s reputation more toxic, leading to its permanent retirement.
Fact vs. Fiction: What the Evidence Shows
While the sequence of events is real—three important men with the same phone number, all killed or dying young—there’s little evidence of an actual curse. Each victim’s lifestyle came with risks. Both Dimitrov and Dishliev were linked to organized crime. Grashnov, though not an underworld figure, ran a major business during a tumultuous era in Bulgaria.
Coincidence and Causality
It’s a classic case of correlation without causation. Sharing a phone number is not what placed these men in danger. The real cause of their deaths likely lay in their professions, rivals, and life choices. Yet, since humans often find comfort in ordering the world, the phone number made for a simple answer to complicated events.
No Supernatural Evidence
No scientific study or official investigation ever found anything unusual about the number itself. No evidence shows that simply calling, answering, or possessing the number puts someone at risk—except for inheriting the enemies of its former users. Many phone numbers worldwide see similar fates, but few attract the same notoriety as “888888888.” Its pattern and tragic timing simply made it stand out.
The Global Scene: Other Cursed Phone Numbers
As the Bulgarian legend spread, it sparked stories of other numbers around the world. People began to recall mysterious calls, strange text messages, and unexplained tragedies linked to unusual numbers. Here are a few that surfaced:
- 999-9999 in Thailand: Allegedly, those who called it could make a wish but would die soon after.
- 090-4444-4444 in Japan: Said to play a haunting voice, this number is linked to death because of its repeating fours.
- Red Numbers in Pakistan: Stories claim answering calls from certain numbers could cause instant death, though police debunked these rumors.
Most tales share similarities—an eerie pattern, tragic stories, and a population quick to connect the dots. Yet, like the Bulgarian case, these numbers are rarely backed by verified statistics. The fear persists, though, and such numbers often need to be retired by concerned companies.
The Modern Impact: Anxiety and Avoidance
Even as mobile technology grows more advanced, superstitions cling to it with surprising strength. People still forward chain texts, warn friends not to answer certain numbers, and share urban legends like the Bulgarian “death number.” Companies know that fear can hurt a brand. That’s why numbers linked to negative rumors tend to disappear quietly from rotation.
In Bulgaria, the effect of the infamous number remains visible. Many older residents remember the panic it caused. Young people, even if born after the events, still whisper about it on social media. It’s not just a story—it’s a symbol of the way fear can shape real-world decisions.
Stories from Real People
Online forums are filled with posts from people who claim brushes with cursed numbers. Some Bulgarians say they still feel a chill if they see too many eights in a row. Others report prank calls from spoofed versions of the number, triggering a moment of panic before realizing it was fake.
There are also many skeptics. They point out that evil is more likely to come from real enemies than mere digits. Still, even those who scoff at the supernatural admit that some numbers just “feel” different. The number “888888888” has earned its spot as perhaps the most unsettling in mobile phone history.
Lessons from a Modern Folklore
What does the story of the cursed phone number teach us? First, urban legends don’t need ghosts or dark forests. Sometimes, they just need a string of digits, a few news articles, and the public’s love of the uncanny. Second, fear spreads quickly in the information age—often faster than any official correction or debunking.
This story also shows how seemingly modern inventions—like cell phones—aren’t free from the world’s old superstitions. If anything, new technology gives such stories more fuel. The speed of the internet lets rumors become global overnight, sparking fears that would once have been local or forgotten.
Final Thoughts on the Cursed Phone Number
The legend of Bulgaria’s “death number” isn’t just a chilling tale. It reveals how modern myths form, spread, and transform our relationship with technology. Whether you believe in curses or not, the story serves as a reminder to question what we hear and ask where fear truly comes from. Sometimes, the most haunting stories start with the simplest details—like a number that’s too perfect, and a string of events too strange to ignore.
