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Suspicious calls from Algeria

  • 13-08-2012 6:09pm
    #1
    z6vm1dobfnca3x
    Closed Accounts Posts: 237 ✭✭


    This morning, I was woken up by my phone ringing briefly - as soon as the phone began ringing, the caller hung up. When I looked at the screen I saw that the number had a +213 international prefix. I googled the prefix only to discover that the call was coming from Algeria. There is absolutely no reason for anybody from Algeria to be calling me, so I am immediately assuming that this is one those scams where you return the missed call only to discover afterwards that you have called a premium number in a different country and that all of your credit has been taken. Since this morning, the exact same thing has happened twice throughout the day.

    Has anyone else been receiving similar calls lately or has anybody fallen victim to one of these scams?

    Hugo.
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    JONJO THE MISER
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 12,333 ✭✭✭✭JONJO THE MISER


    Well it would not happen on my phone as i dont have caller I.D


  • #3
    Fuinseog
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,371 ✭✭✭Fuinseog


    Howard Pitiful Salesclerk wrote: »
    This morning, I was woken up by my phone ringing briefly - as soon as the phone began ringing, the caller hung up. When I looked at the screen I saw that the number had a +213 international prefix. I googled the prefix only to discover that the call was coming from Algeria. There is absolutely no reason for anybody from Algeria to be calling me, so I am immediately assuming that this is one those scams where you return the missed call only to discover afterwards that you have called a premium number in a different country and that all of your credit has been taken. Since this morning, the exact same thing has happened twice throughout the day.

    Has anyone else been receiving similar calls lately or has anybody fallen victim to one of these scams?

    Howard Pitiful Salesclerk

    its not a scam.
    its a problem with the network either here or there. This time last year I got a call from Kentucky and I have no dealings with anyone there. in that case it was a problem in america. should clear up within a day or two.
    a few years back I got text messages in Turkish. completely out of the blue from complete strangers. they must have typed in the wrong number.


  • #4
    Where To
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,455 ✭✭✭Where To


    It might have been Yves Saint Laurent looking for you to model a new line.

    But he's dead so it probably wasn't.


  • #5
    frozenfrozen
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,903 ✭✭✭frozenfrozen


    They were trying to remind you about the lottery you won. You never replied to their emails


  • #6
    z6vm1dobfnca3x
    Closed Accounts Posts: 237 ✭✭z6vm1dobfnca3x


    They probably just needed to steam clean my bank vault and needed to remove the money so that it wouldn't get wet.


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  • #7
    TeddyTedson
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,758 ✭✭✭✭TeddyTedson


    A sex line rang me from Algeria
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=77898027
    Weird stuff altogether


  • #8
    CavanCrew
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 337 ✭✭CavanCrew


    It is a scam, it happened to me before, that 123 prefix is this nigerian scam, u answer and they play this recording of a woman being attacked down the phone asking for help and so you stay on the phone and they rack up a nice bill on your phone, thankfully i was a poor payg..


  • #9
    cristoir
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 555 ✭✭✭cristoir


    CavanCrew wrote: »
    It is a scam, it happened to me before, that 123 prefix is this nigerian scam, u answer and they play this recording of a woman being attacked down the phone asking for help and so you stay on the phone and they rack up a nice bill on your phone, thankfully i was a poor payg..

    Crafty, that would catch a lot of people out including myself.


  • #10
    Ghandee
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,653 ✭✭✭Ghandee


    Might have been a simple wrong number OP?


  • #11
    marshbaboon
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,184 ✭✭✭marshbaboon


    CavanCrew wrote: »
    It is a scam, it happened to me before, that 123 prefix is this nigerian scam, u answer and they play this recording of a woman being attacked down the phone asking for help and so you stay on the phone and they rack up a nice bill on your phone, thankfully i was a poor payg..

    How do they charge you, when they're the one that's called?


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  • #12
    z6vm1dobfnca3x
    Closed Accounts Posts: 237 ✭✭z6vm1dobfnca3x


    Ghandee, I'm not buying the whole wrong number thing. I highly doubt that someone in Algeria would accidentally dial my number (with the Irish prefix) 3 times and then hang up almost instantly.

    Marshbaboon, literally the second my phone starts to ring, they hang up. This leaves me with a missed call on my phone. A lot of people would simply call back the number to find out who rang. But the number you are calling is a premium number (or the call is transferred to a premium number) which then leaves you with an enormous bill/takes your call credit.


  • #13
    janiceross
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 27 ✭janiceross


    Well, you're not alone. I've received similar calls, too. But mine were voice messages left by the scammer, instructing me to call an international phone number to discuss a "very urgent and sensitive matter." I find this very disturbing. I knew about such a scam going around but the message still had an effect on me. I admit that it got me curious and worried that I wanted to call the phone number right away to check. I'm just glad I knew better.


  • #14
    Sonics2k
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 8,261 ✭✭✭Sonics2k


    TeddyTedson wrote: »
    A sex line rang me from Algeria
    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=77898027
    Weird stuff altogether

    We're still not buying it was 'mistake' Teddy :pac:


  • #15
    Yamanoto
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,489 ✭✭✭Yamanoto


    janiceross wrote: »
    This is why I always make it a point to report every suspicious phone call I get to http://www.callercenter.com to raise a warning. By sharing the information, a lot of people are warned ahead about the caller and will be able to avoid being scammed.

    I also report them to the FTC in an attempt to shut the scam down.

    You're US based?

    Also, every one of your posts pertains to nuisance calls / scams, pet peeve?


  • #16
    JupiterKid
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 13,102 Mod ✭✭✭✭JupiterKid


    It's funny that I see this thread today as earlier this morning I got a text message from a "kevinj" asking to call him urgently for advice.

    The thing is, the same person texted me about a year ago. It was an Irish (086) mobile number but I really haven't a clue as to who this calmer is.

    Scam perhaps?


  • #17
    3ndahalfof6
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,184 ✭✭✭3ndahalfof6


    just call from a public phone or someone else's phone


  • #18
    Washington Irving
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,066 ✭✭✭Washington Irving


    This happened to me too, turns out they were trying to warn me of a bomb that had been planted in my house. Careful, OP


  • #19
    z6vm1dobfnca3x
    Closed Accounts Posts: 237 ✭✭z6vm1dobfnca3x


    SaulGoode9 wrote: »
    This happened to me too, turns out they were trying to warn me of a bomb that had been planted in my house. Careful, OP

    I'm a student from Dublin... I'm fairly certain that I'm not going to be the target of an assassination attempt from some sort of Algerian terrorist organisation.


  • #20
    GAAman
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,370 ✭✭✭GAAman


    Howard Pitiful Salesclerk wrote: »
    I'm a student from Dublin... I'm fairly certain that I'm not going to be the target of an assassination attempt from some sort of Algerian terrorist organisation.

    That's what they all say..........before dying due to mysterious bomb based accidents....


  • #21
    Lawrence1895
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,627 ✭✭✭Lawrence1895


    GAAman wrote: »
    That's what they all say..........before dying due to mysterious bomb based accidents....

    Don't they call it 'Friendly Fire'? ;)


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  • #22
    Biggins
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 34,567 ✭✭✭✭Biggins


    Ignore all the other rubbish posts.

    It is the CIA out to get you.


  • #23
    Vicar in a tutu
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 901 ✭✭✭Vicar in a tutu


    janiceross wrote: »
    Well, you're not alone. I've received similar calls, too. But mine were voice messages left by the scammer, instructing me to call an international phone number to discuss a "very urgent and sensitive matter." I find this very disturbing. I knew about such a scam going around but the message still had an effect on me. I admit that it got me curious and worried that I wanted to call the phone number right away to check. I'm just glad I knew better.


    Imagine getting that message after a night of drinking:(
    You'd be climbing the walls!


  • #24
    TeddyTedson
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 10,758 ✭✭✭✭TeddyTedson


    English numbers are at it now too it seems.


  • #25
    General General
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,900 ✭✭✭General General


    Albert Camus ringing from beyond the grave to tell you that there is existentialism after death.


  • #26
    Some Yoke
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 385 ✭✭Some Yoke


    SaulGoode9 wrote: »
    This happened to me too, turns out they were trying to warn me of a bomb that had been planted in my house. Careful, OP
    Jes thats shocking stuff.. its grand for the likes of us who know its a scam but there is a LOT of old people living alone etc that would be awfully frightened with stuff like that. Imagine a young kid hearing the likes of that, scare the life out of them
    and yeah, got calls from a funny number before, googled it, turns out it was a Utah number that a lot of people in Ireland had been getting calls from. These were to mobiles and there was speculation on the message board about the number that some app might be collecting details.. I was wondering myself that when you tick the box to receive info from other companies on competition entering forms and stuff, is that how some of these guys are ending up with the numbers?


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