Missed Calls from Pakistan Scam

  • Thread starter Thread starter amit_dp
  • Start date Start date
  • Replies Replies 94
  • Views Views 30,639
I too got call from number 00923014878746 on 28 Dec 2011.
 
I got call from number 00923073830373 today i.e. 4th Jan 10:04am
 
If you are a Vodafone subscriber and are getting some call on your phone flashing numbers starting with +224, +92 or +23, its better not to attend the call. For, attending these calls or calling back these numbers could allegedly end up swelling up your bill. Tamil Nadu Vodafone subscribers are said to have been receiving calls from such anonymous numbers which seems to either inflate the bill of post-paid subscribers significantly or wipe out the balance of pre-paid customers. According to Vodafone, such problem was also witnessed in UP also some time back. “This is something which has been happening with all the operators from last six to eight months,” claimed an official from Vodafone.
Taking note of the problem, Vodafone has issued an alert to its customers to ignore such calls. “We would like to inform all our customers in Tamil Nadu that this issue has been brought to our notice and we are currently investigating the same. At the same time we would like to urge our customers to kindly ignore such calls and not call back on those numbers,” Vodafone has said in a statement. In the wake of such calls, the company has urged its customers to alert the customer care and report the number to them.
However, assuring safety to its customers, the company said, “Vodafone takes safety and security very seriously and we have invested considerable resources to continually evolve our system and improve security.”
Earlier, Airtel had issued a general advisory to caution its telecom customers who are being arbitrarily targeted by calls fraudulently claiming the recipient customer as being a prize/lottery winner. “In these types of phone frauds, the customer returns a missed call to a +92 or +375 country code and inadvertently reaches a fraudster pretending to be representative of Airtel or another Indian mobile operator and informs the customer of having won some lottery or prize money. The fraudster then attempts to trick the customer into divulging sensitive personal information and to pay a commission to receive the winnings. Such commission is usually asked to be paid via an international DTH operator’s recharge vouchers,” it had said. It had said such malicious activities may result in substantial increase in customers phone bill. The company had said advised its customers not to respond to any unexpected calls.
from a number with the +92 or +375 country code.

Vodafone users, beware: Calls may swell up bill | Deccan Chronicle
 
I got a miss call from 92 country code. Had to search the net for more info.

The pakistani guy claimed that he had several people in india who worked with him.

It seems that nothing good can happen with Pakistan.
 
I also got a missed call from +923320729933 on my private Vodafone number for which only about 5 people have... but like Fiber_Optic I have to wonder what the purpose of it is? If one were to call back - apart from obviously costing quite a lot to call Pakistan or West Africa in the OP's case, has anybody found out what these people want?
 
^^ In some countries, the owners of these special numbers get a portion of the extra call rate charged. In some cases, they try the you have won lottery, please deposit fees trick.
 
^^ In some countries, the owners of these special numbers get a portion of the extra call rate charged. In some cases, they try the you have won lottery, please deposit fees trick.

Like a 419 scam over the phone - that sort of thing I've heard of...

In NZ there are lots of reports about call centres in India trying drive-by malware (I traced one call centre to Kolkata).

As for the scammer getting part of the call rate... like a 1-900 number in the US... for International calls I've not heard of this... for the number that called me, +92(33)xxxx-xxxx is a mobile number, which would surprise me if there was a reverse charge. Can't say much about the other numbers.
 
i wonder how many people are getting affected by this scam. and how many do not end up picking important/genuine calls because they have heard of this scam!
 
My Dad got a miss call and he called back, Rs 9 per second was the call charge I guess.Yesterday my cousin got a miss call from +92 number and I stopped him from giving a callback, luckily he was sitting with me :D
 
Soon! mobile phones will come with tiny pocket to hold tablet and recharge offers will come like "10 Saridon Free with every 100rs recharge"!
Mobile is becoming headache these days!
 
Back