New phone scam??

intellectualsmuse · Post by **intellectualsmuse** » Tue, 27 Apr 2010 8:35 pm

Okay, so I get "missed calls" from overseas numbers at odd hours and I'm wondering what its all about. Turns out, that when you call back you're actually dialling a "premium" number and will be charged accordingly. The way it works is that they randomly call loads of numbers (just a missed call so no cost to them) and even if 1 in 10 people call back that's a lot of cash.
Anyone else experienced this. Oh and most of these calls originate from a +971 series. (in my case atleast)

durain · Post by **durain** » Tue, 27 Apr 2010 8:43 pm

it's not new. been going on and on and on. just dont call back any numbers you dont know.

QRM · Post by **QRM** » Tue, 27 Apr 2010 9:02 pm

Never give out your phone number or email to these "survey" or "you may win a prize" type people. Your details will just end up on some mass mailing list.

aster · Post by **aster** » Tue, 27 Apr 2010 9:46 pm

QRM wrote:Never give out your phone number or email to these "survey" or "you may win a prize" type people. Your details will just end up on some mass mailing list.

Ditto that. Apart from friends I think only my bank has my phone number. I don't give it anywhere else, even when signing up for store cards...

morenangpinay · Post by **morenangpinay** » Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:54 pm

but singtel and yellow pages sell the contacts too

Post by **x9200** » Wed, 28 Apr 2010 1:20 pm

QRM wrote:Never give out your phone number or email to these "survey" or "you may win a prize" type people. Your details will just end up on some mass mailing list.

You do not need to do anything stupid like giving out your number to the above mentioned. There is practically no way to avoid this as majority of local companies will make your phone number available if not sold to anybody who may be interested. There is no privacy protection of this kind in SG and even if you keep your No only for yourself the rubbish may come sooner or later.

QRM · Post by **QRM** » Wed, 28 Apr 2010 1:48 pm

which gives me an idea maybe I should set up my own premium line number and give it to these people who ask for my details, the dosh will start rolling in.

I remember a funny one in the UK, a second hand car was advertised for a very reasonable amount, punters called the number up only to be answered by a covert recording of a deaf old man, who keep yelling "wait a minute I have to find my hearing aid" you hear him mumbling and fumbling about in the room, he keeps popping back on saying "sorry sorry hang on another few minutes can't find it must be in the kitchen" etc. Two month later you get the bill for 30 squids for the call.

Give the scammer credit for a very ingenious way to rip people off.

Post by **x9200** » Wed, 28 Apr 2010 2:36 pm

QRM wrote:which gives me an idea maybe I should set up my own premium line number and give it to these people who ask for my details, the dosh will start rolling in.

I bet there must be some law in place preventing this kind of things. If not you would have full page ads selling 40" LCDs for $100 or

dazzlebabe · Post by **dazzlebabe** » Wed, 28 Apr 2010 5:39 pm

morenangpinay wrote:but yellow pages sell the contacts too

Yellowpages (or specifically the white pages for residential) is free for all to see. You have the option to not have your details published.

Post by **x9200** » Wed, 28 Apr 2010 6:18 pm

dazzlebabe wrote:
morenangpinay wrote:but yellow pages sell the contacts too

Yellowpages (or specifically the white pages for residential) is free for all to see. You have the option to not have your details published.

Nobody asks you whether you wish to be there or not in the first place.

Post by **sundaymorningstaple** » Wed, 28 Apr 2010 7:25 pm

I'll bet it's part of the phone contract somewhere that you have to opt out of listing (and possibly pay for it).

Post by **x9200** » Wed, 28 Apr 2010 8:18 pm

Likely. Although I still have this habit of reading anything I am about to sign (apparently uncommon thing in SG) some specific phrasing may allow them to do this.
On the other hand with huge number of various interaction with many local companies over all these years I always ensured to un-tick marketing related check boxes and soon after, ta-da, the spam happily started to arrive anyway.

intellectualsmuse · Post by **intellectualsmuse** » Wed, 28 Apr 2010 9:37 pm

sundaymorningstaple wrote:I'll bet it's part of the phone contract somewhere that you have to opt out of listing (and possibly pay for it).

Yes it is. And funnily when I bought my phone plan from Singtel I asked them about including my number in the DND (Do Not Disturb) list, only to find that there is no such provision in SG! Back home in India you can have your number listed in the DND registry and telemarketers and other such cannot call you. Of course they've had implementation issues there but usually takes care of all the pesky "I have a credit card for you" calls.

Post by **nakatago** » Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:28 am

two sets of two words:

POLICE STATE

and

SINGAPORE INCORPORATED

and one for the road: FOIL HAT

dazzlebabe · Post by **dazzlebabe** » Thu, 29 Apr 2010 9:27 am

x9200 wrote:
dazzlebabe wrote:
morenangpinay wrote:but yellow pages sell the contacts too

Yellowpages (or specifically the white pages for residential) is free for all to see. You have the option to not have your details published.
Nobody asks you whether you wish to be there or not in the first place.

Yes, you can have the option to not be listed. We have made our number private when we set up our new home line. Our registered name and number will not be printed in the residential book and will not be listed online.

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New phone scam??

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