By Mariel S. Clark
DNAinfo News Editor
MANHATTAN — Sometimes 2 plus 1 plus 2 equal $1 million.
A New Jersey man is selling his 212 phone number on eBay and is hoping the much-desired area code will bring him big bucks, the Daily News reported.
The man, who went by Carmen in the article because he didn't want to be hounded by fake phone calls, put 212-5XX-9000 up on the auction website a year ago and has had more than two dozen responses, though none were "serious," he told the paper.
Carmen hopes his digits will bring in $1 million, much more than the $50 to $500 the area codes usually bring in on the site, he told the News.
The 212 area code is favored by people and businesses who don't want to appear as though they "just set up shop," David Day, the manager of 212areacode.com, told the News, stating that 347 or 646 area codes give the appearance of being new to the city.
Carmen got the number when he did business in Midtown and has hung on to it for 35 years, according to the News. He hopes to make enough money to take care of his ailing mother, he told the paper.
It's unclear if transferring a number is legal or not, the paper reported.
