A California woman says a routine trip to an auto parts store took an unsettling turn when an employee allegedly contacted her using the phone number she had provided during her visit.
The woman, Carly, shared a video in which she began by saying, “You wanna know what it’s like being a woman?” before explaining what happened. She said she needed to get her windshield wipers replaced because she knew rain was expected in Los Angeles.
Carly went to O’Reilly Auto Parts after hearing that the store would install windshield wipers if she purchased them there. An employee installed the wipers, but they were the wrong size. Carly pointed out that she had provided the year, make, and model of her car, as well as her license plate number at the employee’s request, yet he still selected the wrong wipers.
The incorrect wiper size forced Carly to exchange them for the right ones. During the exchange, the employee told her she needed to create an account and asked for her phone number. Carly provided it, and he entered it into the system before installing the correct windshield wipers.
Although the interaction initially seemed routine, things took an unexpected turn after Carly left the shop. On another day, she received a phone call and declined it, only to receive a text message shortly afterward reading, “hey, Carly, how is it going?” She immediately found the message suspicious, especially since she doesn’t give out her phone number.
Carly received another call from the same number and answered because she wanted to know who was calling and how they knew her name. A man on the other end introduced himself, saying, “Hey, Carly, It’s Daniel, we met a few days ago.” Carly said this made her “freak out,” so she hung up.
However, the man continued texting her, saying he thought she was cute and wanted to get to know her. He repeated, “We met a few days ago,” which prompted Carly to ask where they met. He replied that it was at a plaza, which led Carly to realize he was the employee from the auto shop.
“And now this guy went into the [expletive] system, looked up my phone number, so he could text me,” Carly said. She added, “Like, that has to be illegal.” Carly explained that they had barely spoken before she ended the video, saying, “You literally can’t win.” It remains unclear whether she plans to take further action or file a complaint with the store.
Whether the employee violated the law remains unclear. However, O’Reilly’s own privacy policy identifies phone numbers and vehicle information, including license plate numbers, as personal information the company may collect from customers. The company’s Code of Business Conduct also states that employees are expected to protect customers’ private information.
Viewers Shocked Over What Happened to California Woman
Carly’s experience shocked many viewers, with several describing the California employee’s behavior as inappropriate and unsettling, especially because he asked for her license plate number. “Liscene plate IMMEDIATELY put up a red flag. That’s terrifying,” one commenter wrote.
Other viewers urged Carly to report the employee to the company. “Call corporate, report him, get his [expletive] fired,” one commenter wrote. Another recommended contacting the company’s corporate office and seeking legal advice.
For Carly, the unsettling part wasn’t simply receiving an unwanted message. It was realizing that the man contacting her appeared to be the same employee she had given her personal information to during what should have been a routine windshield wiper exchange.
Carly hasn’t said whether she has contacted O’Reilly about what happened. For now, it’s also unclear whether the employee still works at the store or whether the company is aware of the alleged messages.
