Options

0709 980 Phone Scam

I answered a call from 0709 980 71304 yesterday from somebody saying "Hello, can you hear me? Hello! Hello!" and then he hung up. I was about to call this number back, but as I did not recognise the voice or the number, I decided to first Google this unfamiliar 0709 prefix. Luckily I did, as I found out that it was a phone scam to a premium number which can cost up to £50, had I called it back. So be warned!!

Comments

  • Options
    HeinzHeinz Posts: 7,210
    Forum Member
    CLI dumping (calling and hanging up immediately) is more common from 070 numbers. That is intended to encourage the receiver to return the call in the mistaken belief that the call was from a UK mobile number and returning it can be done from 'free' minutes.

    Ofcom is well aware of the issue and has even reserved the 06 number group onto which is could insist all such 'personal numbers' be moved but has mysteriously shelved that proposal.

    http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?p=8335083

    I wonder why?

    The safest policy is that calls from 070 numbers should never be returned.
  • Options
    PeterBPeterB Posts: 9,487
    Forum Member
    Gabriel_R wrote: »
    I answered a call from 0709 980 71304 yesterday from somebody saying "Hello, can you hear me? Hello! Hello!" and then he hung up. I was about to call this number back, but as I did not recognise the voice or the number, I decided to first Google this unfamiliar 0709 prefix. Luckily I did, as I found out that it was a phone scam to a premium number which can cost up to £50, had I called it back. So be warned!!

    There are no numbers costing up to £50.
  • Options
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 188
    Forum Member
    Yes, 0709 98 numbers are charged at pn2 rate - 47.5p/minute at all times.

    http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumer/consumerProducts/pdf/SpecialisedNos.pdf
  • Options
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 483
    Forum Member
    Yes, 0709 98 numbers are charged at pn2 rate - 47.5p/minute at all times.

    http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumer/consumerProducts/pdf/SpecialisedNos.pdf

    Think the OP had meant £50 / min which there is no such number and is just an urban myth been going around years.

    At around 50p / min you'd have to be stupid to stay on 100 mins to get to the £50 mark without realising it's a scam.
  • Options
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 188
    Forum Member
    I don'tknow what happened there but that link above now takes you elsewhere (BT Shop?) so here it is again:

    http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumer/consumerProducts/pdf/SpecialisedNos.pdf
  • Options
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 772
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    I don'tknow what happened there but that link above now takes you elsewhere (BT Shop?) so here it is again:

    http://www.productsandservices.bt.com/consumer/consumerProducts/pdf/SpecialisedNos.pdf

    It still does, try right clicking and opening in a new window
  • Options
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 11,566
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    When I put stuff on Gumtree for sale I have a Virgin mobile no on the listing.

    Sometimes people ring and after a couple of rings they hang up.

    I assume this is so I ring them back to give details regarding the item for sale.
  • Options
    gerry dgerry d Posts: 12,518
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    Gabriel_R wrote: »
    Luckily I did, as I found out that it was a phone scam to a premium number which can cost up to £50. had I called it back. So be warned!!

    For it to cost up to £50 you would have to be on the phone line for sometime.I'm pretty sure at least within a minute someone would realize it's a scam.
  • Options
    JepsonJepson Posts: 3,221
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    When I put stuff on Gumtree for sale I have a Virgin mobile no on the listing.

    Sometimes people ring and after a couple of rings they hang up.

    I assume this is so I ring them back to give details regarding the item for sale.

    I wonder how many sales people miss by only putting a mobile phone number on adverts and listings?
  • Options
    swillsswills Posts: 4,004
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Jepson wrote: »
    I wonder how many sales people miss by only putting a mobile phone number on adverts and listings?

    i would never go wth anyone sales or services, that do not, will not give a landline number, at least with a landline you can virtually find out where they are located.

    a mobile number could be a shed in a field, or a caravan on the A1 !
  • Options
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 11,566
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    Jepson wrote: »
    I wonder how many sales people miss by only putting a mobile phone number on adverts and listings?


    I don't have a landline .

    If they phone my mobile I give them the address to come and see the item.

    People who phone me are usually fairly local maybe 5-10 miles away at most.

    Where I live people won't travel far to see an item on Gumtree.
  • Options
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 483
    Forum Member
    swills wrote: »
    i would never go wth anyone sales or services, that do not, will not give a landline number, at least with a landline you can virtually find out where they are located.

    a mobile number could be a shed in a field, or a caravan on the A1 !

    For people 'listed' as businesses then no landline - no business from me.

    Saying that when I didn't have a landline myself (only do now due to VM wanting me to stay as a customer, so offered it free connection, free line rental, free caller display and free E-WE calls package, that I now have it) I used a local VoIP number from Sipgate and had that on constant divert to voicemail.

    Getting a Sipgate local number is handy as some 'real' big businesses won't accept just mobile and there's no costs involved to having a sipgate number.
  • Options
    belleville1belleville1 Posts: 2,674
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    swills wrote: »
    i would never go wth anyone sales or services, that do not, will not give a landline number, at least with a landline you can virtually find out where they are located.

    a mobile number could be a shed in a field, or a caravan on the A1 !

    But with VOIP services how they are now, I could get myself a landline number from the other end of the country and have it redirected to my mobile, or just answer it on my PC. It'd be quite easy, if I had a reason, to convince people I was in Glasgow or somewhere.
  • Options
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 11,566
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    With me when people come to see the item advertised on Gumtree they see where I live.
Sign In or Register to comment.