8 April 2008

Beware mobile scam from 0290165617

| janeycomelately
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I had a missed call today (didn’t hear the phone ring) from 02 9016 5617. It looked like a Sydney number and I know people there so I called it back. The phone was immediately answered by a recorded message: “Congratulations. Your mobile number has won a free trial…” and then I hung up. I think I’ve been scammed! I’ll let you know my bill but I hope it’s not one of those scams where by calling back you have automatically accepted whatever ‘terms and conditions’ the scammers have dreamt up (eg a weekly fee of $10 for their ‘service’!). When I tried calling the number back from a land line (private number) I got the message “Goodbye”. So it knew I wasn’t calling from a mobile…

I’ve googled the number and it looks like others have been caught up in a similar scam by this same phone number. So don’t call the number back! If it is really important someone will leave you a voicemail.

I’ve contacted my mobile service provider but predictably am yet to hear back…

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I ignore missed calls for the above reason.

I also have voice-mail switched off on my phone. – If people *really* need to speak with you they will contact you again, or by other means.

Steve_Pedestrian6:40 pm 09 Apr 08

I had something similar to this happen on my land line this afternoon. I ‘won a fully paid trip to the Carribean’ said the American accent on the recorded message before I hung up. I reported it to Telstra and made sure to say I wasn’t paying if it shows up on the bill.

janeycomelately5:23 pm 09 Apr 08

Thanks Adza. I’ve made reported the suspected scam to Scam Watch. Hopefully the number I called didn’t redirect without my knowledge to one of those 190 numbers.

The main thing Adza is you have to then call the 1900 number which will be a premium call. Just dialing the normal number back you cannot be charged, except for normal call costs.

These are a long standing scams which ACMA and ACCC have been unable to stop. Technically it’s not illegal to do this.

What happens is an autodialler runs through mobile numbers, dials the number then hangs up just as it’s connected. As a result, your mobile starts to register the call, but not enough to actually ring. People see a missed call and then see the number.

Wehn ringing the number back, you get a pre-recorded message saying “congratulations… blah blah blah, ring this number to claim, or to enter… 1900…..”. According to Scamwatch, sometimes they are redirected to 1900 numbers and you somehow foot the bill.

Have a read of this: http://www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/693789

I had this happen agesssss ago. I choose to google numbers of missed calls, especially interstate numbers or if i’m not expecting a call, as I did when this happened to me. MY mobile number is now on the do not call register and haven’t had any problems.

I had this in the past (didn’t call back though, but found the number on google), a friend remarked to me the phone companies told them they can’t do anything, can’t block numbers etc…

Report this to ACMA – Australian Communications and Media Authority.

Jonathon Reynolds9:23 pm 08 Apr 08

Alternatively if you are being called by tele-marketers and the DO NOT CALL register seems ineffective you can always try this approach: http://community.livejournal.com/melbournemaniac/2225386.html

Felix the Cat8:00 pm 08 Apr 08

I actually had a call I think from this mob the other day and managed to answer the phone in time but as soon as I heard the pre-recorded rubbish I just hung up. First spam/telemarketer call I’ve had on my mobile.

This has happened to me a number of times, and so far haven’t had anything unusual show up on my bill…

I’m not sure how it works, but your phone doesn’t actually ring, it just shows a missed call.

I don’t call anyone back unless they leave me a voicemail message.

Jonathon Reynolds5:36 pm 08 Apr 08

Register your phone numbers on this:

Australian Government – Do Not Call Register
https://www.donotcall.gov.au/

Has worked for me…

You can’t be charged premium rates for dialing an interstate number, only premium (19 or 1900) numbers. I wouldn’t stress about it too much.

I’ll only ring a number back if they’ve bothered to leave a message; otherwise it obviously isn’t that important.

All scammers should be forced to listen to Celine Dion cds without a break for three weeks solid.

Whatever happens, if you do get a bill, DO NOT PAY IT. Your provider might argue black and blue that you must, but you don’t have to under Australian law. Period. Contact the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman if necessary.

I was billed 4 x $6.00 for a Facebook scam, and Vodafone tried their level best to convince me it was nothing to do with them and that I must have accepted conditions, but I stuck to my guns. I pointed out to them that since the bills were coming in under their invoice, they had a grubby hand in the deal, even though they denied it. Eventually when I said that I was happy to be sent a bill directly by the scammers, as an invoice, listing the services rendered, i would look at paying it. Guess what? The charges were withdrawn.

So do not get bullied by these cretins, stick to your legal rights and you won’t be made to pay.

Thanks janeycomelately!!!

Hopefully you don’t get hit with any fees, and it’s great to see you warning the rest of the public.

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