[pfgpowell]

I've been with Three for several years and before that with Vodafone. When I changed I transferred my number. Over these past few years I have been getting increasing amounts of spam PPI/collision damages etc cold calls and I mean loads. Each time I would block the caller's number, but obviously it had already been widely circulated by whoever makes money from selling on such numbers.

So just over a month ago, I took out a contract - with a NEW number - with Three. I wanted an iPhone 6s and the deal - 30gb for the cost of 8gb - was good, but one other important reason was to stop getting spam cold calls. I've kept the old sim in another cheap phone and keep an eye on it to see whether I have missed important calls.

More to the point, I have ONLY given my NEW number to three people: my wife, my sister and my brother. In time I shall give it to others, but I have NOT used it in online forms etc which is where those selling on numbers get them from.

Just now I got cold call from (it said on the phone) North Shields on the NEW number. So HOW could they have got the number? Apart from the people above only Three know it: could someone in Three be selling numbers? Could it be simple a computer calling at random? WHAT could have happened. I am very, very pissed off.

PS The number was 0191 807 1685. I called back to get the name of the firm, but an announcement says the number isn't in service. So the scammers use a fake number so they can't be traced.

[chrisjr]

It could be software dialling a block of numbers one after the other. Doesn't have to be anyone selling numbers.

The number you see on your phone can be faked reasonably easily. Doesn't necessarily mean the call can't be traced though as the telecoms companies see a different number for billing purposes which could be used to back-track the call if they could be bothered to put in the effort. Though might be more complex if the call originates outside the UK.

[aayron]

Most probably their software is dialling random numbers until it finds one that works. Now they know your number is a live one they can sell it on to all the other scammers.......

Anther possibility is one of your family members has a rogue app on their phone that has been granted permission to access phone numbers and has then reported your number to the scammers.

If you have an android phone then add add your family to the "favourites" and then block everyone else.

[Mark in Essex]

I would try to extract out of your Wife, Sister and Brother who passed your phone number onto them as I cannot see any way these companies would have got your number?

It's obvious that one of them MUST be working with these companies as a spy!

[de525ma]

Your "new" number may not actually have been a new number. It could have been used before and recycled.

I still get calls for a Mr Beardsmore who presumably owned my number before me. Calls for him started the day I was connected. I've had this number since 2006....

[pfgpowell]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aayron

Most probably their software is dialling random numbers until it finds one that works. Now they know your number is a live one they can sell it on to all the other scammers.......

That's what worries me. As for rogue apps, my sister lives in Germany, my wife has an old 2g phone and no apps at all and I've only just given the number to my brother.

I'm so pissed off that I answered because they can now pass it on. On the other hand how was I to know it wasn't genuine even if I didn't recognise the number. I have occasionally had calls from folk not on my contact list.

[Soap Dodger]

Yes numbers are recycled!!! Had a few problems several years ago with Vodafone!!! Abusive calls from a mother trying to contact her son...late at night!!! Contacted Vodafone and they confirmed they re-cycle number!!!

[Lidtop2013]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark in Essex

I would try to extract out of your Wife, Sister and Brother who passed your phone number onto them as I cannot see any way these companies would have got your number?

It's obvious that one of them MUST be working with these companies as a spy!

Had lol at that

[Antbox]

Quote:

Originally Posted by pfgpowell

Just now I got cold call from (it said on the phone) North Shields on the NEW number. So HOW could they have got the number?

They phoned me and millions of other people this morning as well. They take a range of numbers and just dial them at random - nobody has given your number to anyone else, it's just through the pure force of numbers that these "I hear you've been injured in a car accident that wasn't your fault" scammers are dialling so many numbers - literally millions at a time - that they stand a good chance of hitting real ones.

They're just dialling at random. They don't know who you are or anything about you, all they know is that your number started ringing when it was dialled. Nothing more.

[Orbitalzone]

Whenever I speak to these spam calls (if I'm bored) I play along, let them tell me they've been advised I've had an accident, could claim compensation, when they ask me to confirm my details I ask them what they have on their records, nothing of course. I ask how they know i had an accident if they don't know who I am, they say my number is on a system that tells them I'm an accident victim (bullshit of course).

I then say I haven't had an accident but would consider doing so if I could claim some compensation at which point they say that would be illegal. I usually hang up (or they do)

They clearly dial many thousands of random numbers, it's all automated and I guess they just keep going until a sucker answers.