hmmm,
spiking can cause damage especially if your machine is plugged directly into the wall socket. (spiking ... a surge in the amount of power your machine gets)
also, I can see that the modem would have problems too. A phone line runs on like 10 amps or so which is like what ??? 1/10 of a volt ??? hell, I don't know. But put it this way, if you plugged your phone line into the wall socket I bet it would fry most of your telephone lines in the house and possibly back up to the telephone pole.
When I was growing up, I always had to unplug all expensive electrical appliance especially those that don't use a ground wire (that little green useless wire that sticks out sometimes).
Here's a bit of a side example. If you fix your own computer you have to be careful of static electricity. I can and it will blow somethign on your mother board. I know several that have dones this. So, if a bolt of lightening struck your house, telephone or power lines, it could technically screw up your machine.
Now, I wonder if you have lightening rods on the roof? If so, they may prevent some of these problems straight from the start. Also, do you use a surge protector strip? If so this may help too.
No, I don't think it's fiction.