Text message on answerphone

mpython · 4 November 2006 at 2:52PM

I suspect this has been raised before so this can be a timely reminder.

Received a message on our BT 1571 service to call 07953 966066. I didn't recognise the mobile number and all the kids were at home so did a google search. If you call the number from a landline it connects you to a chatline service which you won't spot until you get your next bill. Some people have been conned out of £12 before hanging up.:eek:

Heinz · 4 November 2006 at 6:08PM

mpython wrote:

Received a message on our BT 1571 service to call 07953 966066. I didn't recognise the mobile number and all the kids were at home so did a google search. If you call the number from a landline it connects you to a chatline service which you won't spot until you get your next bill. Some people have been conned out of £12 before hanging up.:eek:

07953 966066 is a standard UK cellphone number and, even if you are silly enough to use BT to call it, the cost is 6p connection plus 13p/minute weekdays, 8p/minute weekday evenings and 5p/minute weekends (see HERE).

You'd certainly have to hang on a long time to spend £12 - over an hour and a half at peak rate!

Anyway, a Google search shows it's a Telewest 'service' (see HERE) - or is it Carphone Warehouse (see HERE) - or is is T-Mobile (see HERE)?

trisontana · 4 November 2006 at 6:14PM

This "£12 call cost" looks like a variation of the urban myth about the PDS phone-call that "will cost £15 as soon as you ring the number".

mpython · 4 November 2006 at 6:22PM

OKay, maybe I'm being paranoid but I still think its a good idea not to respond to this kind of unsolicited & vague answerphone message.

Heres the website I found via google & one of the messages

http://forum.holidaywatchdog.com/General-Chat-Telephone-scam-beware-Thread-3823.html

Hils 28-01-2006 01:04 PM

Joined: 03 Sep 2005

Posts: 403

My Profile I don't know if anyone saw Watchdog last Tuesday on TV, the bit about the telephone scam. Anyway, when we got in last night, I checked the voicemail on the landline and there was a text message asking me to ring 07953 966066 (take note of the number) and to use the landline. Because my son had driven down to London last night and all my family including my elderly father live miles away, although alarm bells rang, I decided to ring the number. Luckily I didn't use the landline but used my mobile and as soon as a connection was made, a voice said 'Welcome to the chat line' I immediately ended the call which lasted about two seconds so beware everyone and take note. I'm now going to email Watchdog to say the scam is still going.

My Latest Review: Sep 2006 Cotehele Lodge Bed & Breakfast, Newquay (1/10)

Heinz · 4 November 2006 at 6:36PM

mpython wrote:

I decided to ring the number. Luckily I didn't use the landline but used my mobile and as soon as a connection was made, a voice said 'Welcome to the chat line' I immediately ended the call which lasted about two seconds so beware everyone and take note. I'm now going to email Watchdog to say the scam is still going.

It isn't a scam. That (like many, many more) was a wind up and the jungle drums are now perpetuating the myth about "It costs £12 as soon as you get through."

In reality, some cretin has sent a text from a T-Mobile or Virgin mobile to a landline and the text was, "Welcome to the chat line."

Not unnaturally, that causes concern and panic to some people - but it's not a chat line - it's a (hoax) text message converted to speech.

Hammer1 · 27 February 2008 at 4:18PM

mpython wrote: »

I suspect this has been raised before so this can be a timely reminder.

Received a message on our BT 1571 service to call 07953 966066. I didn't recognise the mobile number and all the kids were at home so did a google search. If you call the number from a landline it connects you to a chatline service which you won't spot until you get your next bill. Some people have been conned out of £12 before hanging up.:eek:

:j 07953 966066 DON'T PANIC

I had a call on my 1571 answerphone, I called it and it was an answephone service from T-Mobile, I listerned and it turned out to be an important message from my brother who has a T-Mobile phone.
**** This is not a scam ***** It is simply T-Mobile text to Voice mail service, the messages was not very audible, but take notice of the number the telephone number that sent the message, clearly audible at the end of the message.

bap98189 · 29 February 2008 at 1:35PM

Why call a number you don't know? I never understand people who call back missed call numbers they don't recognise.

If they don't leave a message I don't call people back, most definitely if the number isn't in my phone book.

hjb123 · 29 February 2008 at 4:38PM

That number is a voice mailbox that transfers messages to voice too. We get some company information sent to our landline several times a month and if we arent in when the call comes through we have a message on 1571 to call that number and retrieve our text message which we do

hjb123 · 29 February 2008 at 4:39PM

oops, just seen how far this post went back and that there was only a couple of posts recently the rest were from 2006:D

Honest_Hal · 20 July 2008 at 7:57AM

This is not a scam. T-Mobile and BT are the only operators which allow SMS messages to be sent to a landline. This is the T-Mobile number you call to pick up the message, but more important, it is the number you call to control T-Mobile SMSs arriving at your phone. By calling this number (and it has to be from the phone you wish to limit) you can set curfew hours or even set the system to never send SMSs to you.

ModelCitizen · 28 November 2008 at 5:03PM

I'd be interested if anyone could explain this for me then.

I received a vocalised text message on my home landline last night. It appeared to be from phone number 07535 742568 (which when I rang it back got me directly through to what sounded like the answer phone of a private T-Mobile network user). The message stated that the sender was worried about the text messages they had been receiving from me and knew that I was going away and would like me to ring them to allay their fears. The sender purported to be called Dr Mars. If it makes a difference the vocalisation sounded female (can a sender choose the sex of the vocalisation robot?). The message said I should ring 07953 966066 to reply.

The formatting of the voicemail message was odd, in that the senders text message was repeated twice and the senders phone number (07535 742568) was read out at the beginning of the messsage.

I assumed it was spam, but now I am not so sure. As I left a rude message on the senders voice mail, I am hoping it was! :-)

MC

Text message on answerphone

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