AN MD80 PRIOR TO DEP CREW NOTED AN INCORRECT MEL REF NUMBER. DISCOVERED AFTER SEVERAL PHONE CALLS THAT CONTRACT MAINT USED ANOTHER CARRIER'S MEL FOR DEFERRAL. LOGBOOK CORRECTED.

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CREW CHANGE. INBOUND FLT HAD MAINT ISSUE WITH A SEAT I BELIEVE 1C DUE TO A SHARP POINT ON THE TRIM OF THE SEAT. ALL PREFLT COMPLETE WAITING ON BOOK TO BE SIGNED OFF BY CONTRACT MAINT. WHEN WE RECEIVED THE LOGBOOK IT HAD AN MEL NUMBER. THERE IS NOTHING IN OUR MEL BOOK THAT ADDRESSED THIS NUMBER SO WE HAD CONTRACT MAINT CALL MAINT (OR SO WE THOUGHT) FOR CLARIFICATION. CONTRACT MAINT CALLED IN MAINT FROM WHOM HE RECEIVED THIS MEL NUMBER AND SAID THE CREW HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THE MEL. MAINT TOLD HIM THERE IS NO SUCH AIRPLANE IN LOCATION. THE CAPT STARTED TO TALK ON THE PHONE WITH MAINT AND FOUND OUT IT WAS MAINT AND I BELIEVE; LOOKING BACK; THE CONTRACT MAINT; TWICE CALLED MAINT CTL AND GOT THE IMPROPER SIGN OFF AND MEL; ETC. WELL HE THOUGHT WE WERE ACR Y. HE THEN CONTACTED ACR Y. MAINT FOR COMPANY CORRECTLY CROSSED OFF THE IMPROPER SIGNOFF AND CORRECTED THE MISTAKE AND THEN PROPERLY SIGNED OFF THE LOGBOOK. THIS IS REALLY UNACCEPTABLE AND UNPROFESSIONAL FROM CONTRACT MAINT IN LOCATION. WHY HE CALLED MAINT Y AND THOUGHT WE WERE ACR Y IS A MYSTERY. WE HAD WAY TOO MANY DISTRS; AND THIS ONE ALMOST GOT US BUT WE CAUGHT IT IN TIME. I DO BELIEVE THE FINAL SIGNOFF WAS COMPLETED PROPERLY; BUT I HAVE DOUBTS TO THE CONTRACT MAINT IN LOCATION AND THEY MADE THIS 'MISTAKE' PAPERWORK TO MAINT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE LOGBOOK THEY RECEIVED FROM THE CONTRACT MAINT TECHNICIAN WAS CORRECT IN EVERY RESPECT EXCEPT THE MEL REF NUMBER WHICH WASN'T IN THEIR BOOK. IT APPEARS THE TECHNICIAN CALLED ANOTHER CARRIER'S MAINT CTLR IN ERROR AND WAS GIVEN THE DEFERRAL. SEVERAL PHONE CALLS WERE REQUIRED TO GET THE LOGBOOK PROB CORRECTED. THIS PROB WAS RPTED TO THE COMPANY.