A wee heads up dodgy phone numbers

[DaveD]

I seem to remember once (or I may have completely made this up)
Someone changed their number to a premium rate one so when he got cold calls it cost them a fortune to ring him

An old scam from years ago was carried out when a smartly dressed female often with small child would knock on the door and explain that her car had broken down and her mobile phone battery was dead, if you would let her phone her mechanic husband who was at home, he would come out and rescue her.
If you let her use your phone she would make the three or four minute call very convincingly and explain to her husband where she was etc. She'd thank you very much and leave.
Much later when you got your phone bill you found that the number she'd dialled was a £50/minute number.

 

[Ali-G]

I had a text message from a mobile number yesterday to tell me that my new iPhone that I haven’t ordered has been dispatched.
They thoughtfully added a handy link that I can click to cancel or amend my order.

 

[Nige_g]

I am still waiting on my inheritance from Nigeria. It will be with my soon according to my contact. Just needs my bank details again.

 

[Big.mac]

I got several missed calls and then a silent call from an 07 number. I rang it back (assuming it was someone who wanted me). It was answered by someone who denied they'd called me, despite having done so a minute or 2 earlier. I then got 2 more missed calls from the same number. I googled them and there had been a few searches for that number, so it had clearly happened to others. As he answered I assumed therefore it was a genuine mobile, I blocked it, then I gave their number out to so many organisations, several where you asked for daily prayers etc to be texted to you each day. It may have worked, it may not, but it made me feel good whilst I was doing it.

I fairly regularly get calls from people claiming I had just called them, usually from Italy. As I had work contacts in Italy I would normally answer. And then have to explain it wasn’t me. I don’t answer calls from Italy any more. It turns out the scammers use genuine numbers to display as their outgoing number, it’s called number spoofing. Sounds like you’re suffering the same thing.
Interesting article on it below:

How to Stop Telemarketers From Spoofing Your Number

My number was being used by a telemarketer, and people thought it was me calling them. I was getting angry calls and voicemails asking why I kept calling them. My phone was being taken over. So I decided to fight back.

turbofuture.com

 

[JOG]

I fairly regularly get calls from people claiming I had just called them, usually from Italy. As I had work contacts in Italy I would normally answer. And then have to explain it wasn’t me. I don’t answer calls from Italy any more. It turns out the scammers use genuine numbers to display as their outgoing number, it’s called number spoofing. Sounds like you’re suffering the same thing.
Interesting article on it below:

How to Stop Telemarketers From Spoofing Your Number

My number was being used by a telemarketer, and people thought it was me calling them. I was getting angry calls and voicemails asking why I kept calling them. My phone was being taken over. So I decided to fight back.

turbofuture.com

Long advertorial for an app

 

[Ayjay]

My bottom line is never to answer a call from a number that I don't recognise (or with my mobile, a number that's not in its phone book). If its a genuine call, they leave a message and you get back to them within a couple of minutes.

 

[Higgidav]

For those with IPhones there is a setting which silences callers not in your contacts list.

 

[CAB]

In our local freebie this week.