New phone scam from Slovenian number

wextipp · 26-01-2013 8:33pm #1

I just seen a missed call on my phone from number +38681897022. It kinda looked like an O2 number so I rang it back. It answered straight away and I could hear what sounded like a couple making love. I presumed it was a scam and checked out the number the +386 is the international code for Slovenia. I tried to text the number from my Blueface account and it said Slovenia Alternative Networks not supported. Next I rang Vodaphone to check how much the call cost me. They said they couldn't tell me but he said he had got lots of similar queries about this from other people. Anybody got any ideas on what this is about. Vodafone are useless I have to say.

http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/38681897022

philipadams1 · 26-01-2013 9:01pm

I've got several calls from this number today.. They ring and hang up after about 1second!! Irritating is an understatement !!!! >.<

Xlaxeo · 26-01-2013 9:11pm

I got it too. Same number

Only rang once. I did not ring back.

doolox · 26-01-2013 9:16pm

I have started doing this as I am in a business where I cannot afford to miss calls from prospective clients but cannot afford to make return calls to nuisance numbers.

I also received calls from a strange number which turned out to be a scam caller when I looked up the number, googled on the internet.

thedarkroom · 26-01-2013 10:03pm

wextipp wrote: »

I just seen a missed call on my phone from number +38681897022. .......

.......…… got lots of similar queries about this from other people. Anybody got any ideas on what this is about. Vodafone are useless I have to say.

http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/38681897022

I've got two of these this evening so far. It rings once only and then stops. I didn't ring it back but googled it instead and came across this thread. I suspect that it might be a premium rate and is expecting people to ring back the missed call, thus creating a nice steady revenue stream for them. Whatever the purpose, you can be sure it is most likely dodgy and that you are being targeted for something.
I haven't tried Vodafone yet but from previous experience it would be a waste of time. Maybe Comreg might be able to do something. It's a real pain in the hole!!!!
I tried on my phone but I can't block the number or even set the ringtone to silent for that specific number. Bummer!!!

Mimikyu · 27-01-2013 1:50am

This post has been deleted.

PogMoThoin · 27-01-2013 1:57am

Yeah I'm 087 and got one today as well.

acquiescefc · 27-01-2013 2:01am

just got one too on 087

StevieNicksFan · 27-01-2013 2:11am

acquiescefc wrote: »

just got one too on 087

Yep got a call from the same number around 10pm..i didn't answer because slovenia came up next to the number and I knew straight away it was probably a scam. Googled it and it seems all the people who received the call are with Vodafone. Sonething strange there. Just seems to much of a coincidence that all are VF customers..so far anyway.

dpofloinn · 27-01-2013 2:16am

Got one around 5.30 i answered the call got no response then the bloody phone froze on me.I'm with Vodafone as well

donegal_man · 27-01-2013 2:18am

Just got one about ten mins ago same number except the last two digits were 41. On Vodafone as well

Mimikyu · 27-01-2013 3:57am

This post has been deleted.

wextipp · 27-01-2013 10:38am

Has anybody figured out how much this number costs to call. It hasn't appeared on my on-line usage yet. Vodafone are always a day behind.
It there is a expensive cost one thing is sure, Vodafone will also make a bit of money on it and as usual will be slow to assist with sorting it out.

eddhorse · 27-01-2013 10:52am

Got a call from +38681897042 last night at 3:39am, thought it was O2 in my sleepy state, didn't answer though.

Mr.Boots · 27-01-2013 10:59am

Got one from +386 8 189 7048 didn't answer or call back.

Hootanany · 27-01-2013 11:01am

+386 8 189 704 this morning im on meteor

wextipp · 27-01-2013 11:02am

Just phoned Vodafone again. They are aware of the problem and are getting a high volume of calls about it. They have reported it to Comreg and it is happening on all networks. They 'THINK' it is a premium number and can't figure it out yet. They don't even know the cost of the call yet.

They don't have the power to stop this number or the other similar numbers they are using. They tell me if it is a premium number Vodafone make no money on the call and all the cost is passed on to the premium number operator. If you are charged the only way you can get a refund is via Comreg who are a waste of space in my opinion.

Nanoc · 27-01-2013 11:05am

Wonder if everyone answered the calls would they stop quick enough by losing money! Got one this morning and like that thought it was an 086...

Mrs Garth Brooks · 27-01-2013 11:16am

I missed a call at 6 in the morning. My phone was on silent, so didn't hear it. Same number but last two digits 57. Googled the prefix 00386, and Slovenia comes up.
Im on the three network with 087 number.

Glad im not the only one and found out here its a scam of some sort. I wont be going mental all day thinking about who was ringing me at 6 in the morning.

prettygurrly · 27-01-2013 11:23am

Captain Morgan wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

yeah i'm the same, got an 087 number but with meteor nowadays...I rang it back just now before I found this thread (damn it) but I got an irish voice say that the number was not in service and to check the number and try again.

+3868187042

I thought it was an automated survey from BOI as I was just on to the customer service so rang it back...it's not...

prettygurrly · 27-01-2013 11:27am

so far no one has posted that they have an 086, 085 etc number so are we looking at a Vodafone leak of our numbers? even us ex-customers?

wextipp · 27-01-2013 11:27am

prettygurrly wrote: »

I rang it back just now before I found this thread (damn it) but I got an irish voice say that the number was not in service and to check the number and try again.

That sounds a bit more promising, maybe Comreg have had had the service shut down.

Mrs Garth Brooks · 27-01-2013 11:40am

prettygurrly wrote: »

yeah i'm the same, got an 087 number but with meteor nowadays...I rang it back just now before I found this thread (damn it) but I got an irish voice say that the number was not in service and to check the number and try again.

+3868187042

I thought it was an automated survey from BOI as I was just on to the customer service so rang it back...it's not...

Isn't there meant to be a 9 in front of that 7, in that scam number ?

Mimikyu · 27-01-2013 11:59am

This post has been deleted.

DannyBuoy · 27-01-2013 12:33pm

It not finished yet, just got a missed call from +38681897034

prettygurrly · 27-01-2013 12:47pm

HardLuckWoman wrote: »

Isn't there meant to be a 9 in front of that 7, in that scam number ?

yes, thank you for pointing out the typo

wextipp · 27-01-2013 12:48pm

Lets get Comreg off their ass.
Send the following text
ASKCOMREG Fix the Slovenian phone scam
to 51500 (standard SMS rates apply*)

http://www.askcomreg.ie/about_us/contact_us.26.LE.asp

aynneone · 27-01-2013 6:37pm

One here in Greystones this morning at 02.41 0861897042....thanks to Jody for posting this on FB..x

Comhrá · 27-01-2013 6:47pm

I got a call from +38681897042 last night at 3:50am, also thought it was an 086 no. but I presumed it was a wrong no. and just left it. Glad now! BTW, I have an 087 no, but on the 3 network now.

godtabh · 27-01-2013 6:52pm

Got the call around 12 last night.

+386 8 189 7048

I've an 087 number. It's probably automated

orlao · 27-01-2013 7:22pm

I got a missed call today too, when I looked closely realised the 386 was a country code so I didn't call it - good to know what it's about. Just saw the information on Journal.ie. The number which called me was 386 8 189 7041. And I could have been caught, just got a new phone and haven't changed over the contacts, so I have no names coming up with numbers.

Baneblade · 27-01-2013 7:23pm

087 number but on emobile. thouht something was up cause i had a missed call but did not hear the phone ringing. cant see there is much comreg or the mobile operators can do short of blocking all international calls from a perticular country, and even then there is no guarentee that was where the call came from it could just be the displayed number

jimmynokia · 27-01-2013 7:24pm

Im a meteor customer got two of these calls

homerjay2005 · 27-01-2013 10:22pm

jimmynokia wrote: »

Im a meteor customer got two of these calls

were you a vodafone customer before?

Solair · 27-01-2013 10:26pm

Seems it's a new "international premium rate number".

It's the first time that I've heard of an ability to call a premium rate number within another country's network.

According to Tesco Mobile's website : http://www.tescomobile.ie/international-premium-rates.aspx

They seem to charge at 25¢ per min.

So, not hugely expensive if you do call back, but I would suspect these guys are hoping that lots and lots of people call the number so they make about 10-20 cent per call.

On the plus side, they're within the EU and something can be done about it quite quickly.
ComReg can get onto their counterparts in Slovenia and it'll get blocked / cops will be knocking on someone's door.

Seems like yet another route for charging people premium rates though. The 15XX numbers, and 5XXXX sms codes were bad enough!

jimmynokia · 27-01-2013 10:32pm

homerjay2005 wrote: »

were you a vodafone customer before?

Was never with with voda.

dahamsta · 27-01-2013 10:43pm

Missed call from this number at 1140, eMobile now, former Vodafone customer on 087 number.

highly1111 · 28-01-2013 12:38am

Hubby got one at 9.30 this morning. He's Vodafone but don't think it makes any odds - usually they're just automated numbers - not network specific.

highly1111 · 28-01-2013 12:38am

Hubby got one at 9.30 this morning. He's Vodafone but don't think it makes any odds - usually they're just automated numbers - not network specific.

triple-M · 28-01-2013 12:43am

got one in last 15 minutes on 087 number although its on meteor network

Solair · 28-01-2013 1:26am

If you've an Android phone, or another phone that can do automatic rejection of numbers starting with +3868, I'd suggest you do that.

It's not costing them anything to call and hang up, resulting in missed calls. However, if you've a reject option setup, it's likely they'll be diverted to voicemail (incurring a significant charge).

The more of us include that number in our reject list, the most it will cost these scammers as their calls will be instantly answered by voicemail

+386 = Slovenia
8 = "commercial numbers"

So, by blocking +3868 you will only be ditching calls from

AFAIK that will block all calls from there.

Also block the full number too. Seems it works only the most reliably!

To access call blocker :

Go to your Contacts / People App in your phone's app folder.

Click the menu button
scroll down to Blocked Callers and click the + button / add button to add the numbers.

a_noodle_jenny · 28-01-2013 4:33am

Same scam is being discussed on the Journal.ie
+386 8 189 7048 was the number I got the missed call from... Spread the word...

wextipp · 28-01-2013 8:37am

The cost of the call just appeared on my usage. For a 27 sec call it cost 7c and it was a roaming call. It doesn't cost that much and was more of a nuisance than anything else. I would have thought Vodafone could have given me that information when I rang them on the day. They hadn't a clue what type of call it was and how much it cost.

Bizzi Lizzy · 28-01-2013 10:08am

I had a missed call on Saturday from 0035381897048. I didn't phone it back because I didn't recognise the number, it's not even a mobile number. I'm with Vodafone 087

Solair · 28-01-2013 11:19am

I just wish genuine businesses would stop setting their Caller ID to stupid numbers.

I got a call from a major mobile company that displayed as +00

Also, I don't generally answer blocked numbers, yet loads of companies seem to send no called ID at all.

dahamsta · 28-01-2013 11:29am

Solair wrote: »

I just wish genuine businesses would stop setting their Caller ID to stupid numbers.

I got a call from a major mobile company that displayed as +00

Also, I don't generally answer blocked numbers, yet loads of companies seem to send no called ID at all.

Credit card security departments that do this do my head in. It's like they don't understand their own purpose.

Graham_Keogh · 28-01-2013 11:45am

+38681897034 to 087 (Vodafone) late Sat night

metalmonk · 28-01-2013 1:43pm

Has anyone got confirmation that ringing any of these numbers costs significantly more that it would cost to ring a Slovenian number from your mobile ?

After doing a little digging it may be a wangiri scam but it could be something else entirely.

According to numberingplans.com the number ranges used in the calls below belong to Debitel Slovenia VOIP numbers (386 81 8XX XXX)and do not appear to be premium rate numbers.
386 81 897 022
386 81 897 048
386 81 897 014
386 81 897 057

The PRS range in Slovenia is 090 which would be
386 90 XXX XXX.

Voipgate.com puts the costs to Debitel voip numbers as between €0.018 - €0.026. So for most people they would be an international call, and would certainly cost more from a mobile (your mileage will vary depending on your plan) but not necessarily a premium one costing several euros per minute.

I tried ringing them from Skype (as it gives you the cost per minute) but they all go through to a recorded message in Slovenian which sounds like an invalid number message so I didn't get charged. This may be an artifact of Skype and ringing them from a fixed or mobile number might get a different result.

I wonder if there is something else at work here? Any suggestions ?

MM

Solair · 28-01-2013 1:44pm

Perhaps make a complaint directly to the Slovenian Regulator, their version of ComReg is called APEK

http://www.apek.si/apek-ang

(They have a website in English too!)

Post and Electronic Communications Agency of the Republic of Slovenia
Stegne 7, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
T: 01 583 63 00
F: 01 511 11 01
E: info.box (At) apek.si

Fighting Irish · 28-01-2013 2:20pm

wextipp wrote: »

I just seen a missed call on my phone from number +38681897022. It kinda looked like an O2 number so I rang it back. It answered straight away and I could hear what sounded like a couple making love. I presumed it was a scam and checked out the number the +386 is the international code for Slovenia. I tried to text the number from my Blueface account and it said Slovenia Alternative Networks not supported. Next I rang Vodaphone to check how much the call cost me. They said they couldn't tell me but he said he had got lots of similar queries about this from other people. Anybody got any ideas on what this is about. Vodafone are useless I have to say.

http://whocallsme.com/Phone-Number.aspx/38681897022

You're calling vodafone useless? :rolleyes:

lfeehan · 28-01-2013 2:27pm

metalmonk wrote: »

Has anyone got confirmation that ringing any of these numbers costs significantly more that it would cost to ring a Slovenian number from your mobile ?

I rang it back while half asleep, thinking it was 086 and might be urgent (the wife was out).
Its showing up as having cost me 7 cent (on vodafone online). Maybe vodafone adds on premium charges some other way at the end of the month, I dunno.

New phone scam from Slovenian number

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