Scam International Phone Calls

[Sandy B]

I have had over 20 calls from Estonia, St Lucia and now Croatia since Sunday morning. I think my mistake was to answer the first call on Sunday morning, but I was in my car and could not see the caller. I know it's a scam and I haven't returned any call but it gets very frustrating with this quantity of calls especially when you get them at 4.00AM.

I have noted on a Telstra site that by dialling *country number# that you can block a country out, but it does not work for me, perhaps it is that I am with Belong. Belongs only advice is;

1. Report to police: Somehow I do not think that that would do anything.
2. Block the number: They keep changing the number so that is useless.
3. Change my number; After more than 20 years with this number it is more me than my name.

I was wondering if any body else has had this experience and how they solved it. Does anybody know if they will eventually stop.

[prl]

1. Report to police: Somehow I do not think that that would do anything.
2. Block the number: They keep changing the number so that is useless.
3. Change my number; After more than 20 years with this number it is more me than my name.

I was wondering if any body else has had this experience and how they solved it. Does anybody know if they will eventually stop.

4. Engage with the scammer and waste as much of their time as you can get away with.
5. "Just a moment, there's something boiling over on the stove". Put phone down. Hang up 15 minutes later.

Not useful tactics at 4am, though.

Also not much good for the robocalls from "Nicole calling from the NBN", where I leave the line open until their end times out (I'm definitely not going to "press 1 to be connected to one of their technicians"), but alas that times out after only about 10 sec.

Unfortunately, the robocalls seem to be a very efficient way to run scams, because they only have to have enough call centre staff to deal with people who actively contact them back. But it robs me of the opportunity of having a friendly discussion with the caller about how Internet provision actually works in Australia.

[prl]

3. Change my number; After more than 20 years with this number it is more me than my name.

That will work right up to the point where they buy a new edition of their phone number database and have your number to feed to the autodialer once more.

[exitguy]

I know it's a scam and I haven't returned any call but it gets very frustrating with this quantity of calls especially when you get them at 4.00AM.

Why not just switch your phone off at night and back on in the morning !!!

[netmask]

I got rid of my landline 5 years ago and on my iPhone I turn it off when I go to bed - quite late. My only overseas relative is 92 so she is not going to ring, her schtick is to ring me at 6am coffee #1 time !!!!

[Sandy B]

Thanks everybody for your comments and apologise for not responding earlier, it's really being one of those days as you will see below.

Apparently this scam relies on you returning the call to the overseas number and they can someway extract money by simply returning the call and keeping you on the phone. When the call comes it only rings about 3 times, so my call register is full of overseas calls now.

Belong came back to me and dispite my expressed view not to change my number, well the did change it. A dozen emails later, a call to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman and a phone call from Belong I am no closer to getting my old number back. I also find that I can not receive data on the iPhone via the 4G network.

During Belong's call to me they tried to offer a credit if I would take the new number. I quickly told them where to take that Offer.

NOT HAPPY

[prl]

Apparently this scam relies on you returning the call to the overseas number and they can someway extract money by simply returning the call and keeping you on the phone. When the call comes it only rings about 3 times, so my call register is full of overseas calls now.

That form of scam may connect you to a Premium Service number (190x-style number) and you get charged outrageous fees for just being on the line. The WA ScamNet page on NBN scams says of the "Nicole" robocall that asks you to "press 1 to be connected to a technician":

Upon pressing 1, you are transferred to a call centre. While none of the people who reported receiving the call went past this point, you could potentially become a victim of ID theft if you provide personal information, lose your money if you agree to make a payment or possibly get charged a premium fee for the call.

[prl]

Belong came back to me and dispite my expressed view not to change my number, well the did change it. A dozen emails later, a call to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman and a phone call from Belong I am no closer to getting my old number back. I also find that I can not receive data on the iPhone via the 4G network.

During Belong's call to me they tried to offer a credit if I would take the new number. I quickly told them where to take that Offer.

Hope you can get it sorted.

[Sandy B]

Hope you can get it sorted.

Thanks for the moral support.

[Spot]

I think my mistake was to answer the first call on Sunday morning, but I was in my car and could not see the caller.

I hope you were using a hands-free system while in your car?

[Sandy B]

Yes I was using hands-free.

Word of warming do not make a complaint of this nature to Belong