How can this mobile number scam call work?

Discussion in 'Living Room' started by wylie, 4th Aug, 2020.

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  1. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    I've just received a call from a mobile number and when I answered I got what sounded like Chinese talking, possibly a machine. I hung up and used the reverse number lookup sites, but came up with nothing.

    I got my landline (so my silent number is hidden) and called the number with a bell beside the phone ready to ring the bell in the ear if a person picked up.

    A lady with an Aussie accent answered. I said I'd just had a call from this number with gibberish at the end and could I please ask who is calling me. She said she's just a person out shopping and didn't call anyone.

    I explained I'm in Brisbane and she'd read the number back to me. Definitely the same number that showed up on my phone. I apologised to her, said I thought I'd call back to see who answered, but would leave it at that, and that perhaps someone had hacked into her number?

    Any idea how this can happen?

    Could someone call and the number show of some innocent person who claims not to have called me. She sounded just like me, middle aged lady, no accent, surprised to hear from me.
     
    wylie, 4th Aug, 2020
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  2. Pumpkin

    Pumpkin Well-Known Member

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    This is so annoying and has happened a lot to us.
    I think they were able to "fake" the number, which makes it read like it's coming from a certain number.
    I've done what you did (call back) but I dont do that anymore, running out of energy.
    And that number change all the time. Suffice to say they are all mobile numbers, but the "message" that they play is all the same.
    I get both English and Chinese version. Some says it's from China Embassy sending a parcel, and sometimes it's DHL.
    There are times when it shows up as a Victorian or Sydney number, or even Queensland. Starts with 02, 03, 07...
    Sigh, it is so annoying and some days I just dont pick-up strange numbers and hope the'd leave a message. Sad but true.
     
    Pumpkin, 4th Aug, 2020
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  3. TMNT

    TMNT Well-Known Member

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    not sure how they managed to use a mobile thats registered to someone but

    ive had and read of many chinese calls, its a scam eg dhl , of either propaganda or spam

    the numbers ive recevied are mobile and landlinds and every time I call back the number is disconnected
     
    TMNT, 4th Aug, 2020
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  4. inertia

    inertia Well-Known Member

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    why would you call back? There is nothing to be gained by trying to call back a (potential) scammer, in fact there are some scams where they call you, but hang up when you answer, trying to get you to call them back.

    Hell, if I answer a number I dont recognise and they do not respond promptly, I presume it is an auto-dialler and hang up. I dont care why an auto-dialler is calling me, if it is actually something important, they will call back and be on the line when I answer.

    Cheers,
    Inertia.
     
    inertia, 4th Aug, 2020
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  5. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    I was in a bad mood, grabbed a loud bell, and called back to slam a very loud noise in whoever's ear answered. If I had a whistle I would have used that.

    But clearly the lady who answered was not the caller. Somehow it was her number that showed on my phone.

    I blocked it at first, then thought "right!!! I'll give you an earful of very loud noise".
     
    wylie, 4th Aug, 2020
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  6. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    This stuff is one reason I'm keen to hold onto a landline. I use my landline number when I must put down a phone number on some forms that will not allow completion without a number in that box. But I guess for someone I don't want to hear from, I could put my old landline number, even if it is not in use.

    With a build going on, I'm getting calls from people I usually would not be dealing with, so I am reluctant not to answer. It could be important. But when life goes back to normal, I'll be more selective in when I pick up.
     
    wylie, 4th Aug, 2020
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  7. Owl

    Owl Well-Known Member

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    Sometimes the call can be part of an elaborate scam. But most of the time these are "robot" calls that spoof their calling number, and the aim is to collect phone numbers ( like yours) that they then sell to telemarketing companies. That is why you may find you get a recorded message or the line goes dead when you pick it up....and when you call the number back you may get someone who has no idea what your talking about. I read this morning that some new phones can now identify these robo calls and block them before they get thru to you. Not sure how advanced that technology is. You may find these calls are very regular.....at a fixed time everyday for several days.
     
    Owl, 4th Aug, 2020
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  8. inertia

    inertia Well-Known Member

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    My internet service comes with a landline phone number (all nbn services do, i believe) - I just don't have a phone connected to the router.

    I tend to be fairly select on call to my mobile - but I have not had to give that number to customers, or other work related people, so can be selective. As you say, when I have been in the middle of certain activities (like house hunting or whatever) I will answer all calls.

    I also hate voicemail, so really should just turn it off.

    Cheers,
    Inertia.
     
    inertia, 5th Aug, 2020
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  9. inertia

    inertia Well-Known Member

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    My google phone (and I suspect most any modern android) does show up "possible spam caller" at times when it is an unknown number, and it has never been wrong.
     
    inertia, 5th Aug, 2020
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  10. datto

    datto Well-Known Member

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    Don't know if it's true but I heard when you ring back these overseas numbers you are charged a premium rate. And that's how the scammers make their money.
     
    datto, 5th Aug, 2020
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  11. Lacrim

    Lacrim Well-Known Member

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    Yeah I was tempted to call back my 'mates' in Botswana and Sierra Leone for about 1 micro second.
     
    Lacrim, 5th Aug, 2020
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  12. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    Hadn't thought of that angle. But an Australian middle-aged sounding lady answered. Perhaps I was lucky this time. I've never called back before, and won't bother again, because I'm quite sure this lady didn't make the call to me (even though her number showed up).
     
    wylie, 5th Aug, 2020
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  13. datto

    datto Well-Known Member

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    That number that you received. What was the country code?
     
    datto, 5th Aug, 2020
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  14. TMNT

    TMNT Well-Known Member

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    Ive heard that scam before too... not sure how it works though

    have you considered a dual sim phone??, I give my second number to businesses/ or once off sales type of places, and for friends I dont like :D
     
    TMNT, 5th Aug, 2020
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  15. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    In my "recents" the number is just 0412.... No country code?
     
    wylie, 5th Aug, 2020
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  16. wylie

    wylie Moderator Staff Member

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    I like that idea. I have an iPhone and if we do ditch our landline later this year, I will look at whether I can do this. If I have to put down a number on something that is not important to me that they can reach me, I guess I can give out my husband's number, as he pretty much ignores his phone.

    I just hate being at the beck and call of my phone every walking moment. I am rather attached to it anyway, but I liked it better when I knew who was calling. These days it could be anybody, scammers included.
     
    wylie, 5th Aug, 2020
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  17. random

    random Well-Known Member

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    Yep l get a lot of them too , some even use my name, send links and garbage. l never click them and my phone has a report spam button l click that.
    l get a lot from 02 too , which is nsw , l must of blocked 20 02 numbers but apparently they have this gadget that keeps changing their number on your phone, so they can just keep calling. It can make 1000s of numbers.
    Bloody bs l dunno wth the point even is especially with the Asian ones.
     
    random, 5th Aug, 2020
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  18. Angel

    Angel Well-Known Member

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    For one-off online purchases from companies I am never likely to use again, I just make up any false number.
     
    Angel, 5th Aug, 2020
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  19. TMNT

    TMNT Well-Known Member

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    i have been tempted to enter a fake number, but ive had a few cases where a verification sms is sent to it, and then its all an absolute nightmare changing it becuase it means, cancelling orders, contacting non existant support, reordering, missing out etc. etc.
     
    TMNT, 5th Aug, 2020
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  20. datto

    datto Well-Known Member

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    Ok. My phone (iPhone) shows the country where the call came from.

    I’m sure your call came from overseas. Either that or there has been some kind of glitch in the the telephonics that caused the call to you.
     
    datto, 5th Aug, 2020
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