Somalia "Help me" scam phone call.

[PaulSecteur]

Hi All,

Just to let you know about a scam I hadn't heard of, that has just been tried on my Dads mobile.

He had a call where the person at the other end just said "Help... help me!" then hung up. I looked at the phone and it wasn't from anyone we know, and the area code didn't look familiar.

After a bit of research its the Somalia "Help me" scam. Their hope is you call back (Because you are a caring person) where you will either be put on hold, they play erotic audio to you or they keep you talking... on their premium rate number.

The country code was +252. They phone about 6 times.

 

[classic33]

Hi All,

Just to let you know about a scam I hadn't heard of, that has just been tried on my Dads mobile.

He had a call where the person at the other end just said "Help... help me!" then hung up. I looked at the phone and it wasn't from anyone we know, and the area code didn't look familiar.

After a bit of research its the Somalia "Help me" scam. Their hope is you call back (Because you are a caring person) where you will either be put on hold, they play erotic audio to you or they keep you talking... on their premium rate number.

The country code was +252. They phone about 6 times.

Thanks for letting us know.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Lummy!

 

[classic33]

Thanks Paul. I've just warned my 82 year old mother who seems to be a target for this people.

Mobiles aren't as easy guess the age of the owner though.
They'll be dialling blind.

@PaulSecteur, do you have the full number?

 

[buggi]

Thanks Paul. I've just warned my 82 year old mother who seems to be a target for these type of people.

I heard that once you have been targeted, it only takes you to answer one call then they sell your details in to all sorts and you get bombarded with scams.

 

[classic33]

I heard that once you have been targeted, it only takes you to answer one call then they sell your details in to all sorts and you get bombarded with scams.

They don't know a number is live, until its answered. Either by a person or an answerphone.

 

[PaulSecteur]

@classic33

It was +252634240683

They called 6 times in about 15 minutes, at first we asked where they were, and who they were. Sometimes we said nothing. they always jut said "Help me". I don't think it was a recording, just someone saying help me everytime.

 

[Drago]

They'll be wasting their time asking me to help them!

 

[classic33]

@classic33

It was +252634240683

They called 6 times in about 15 minutes, at first we asked where they were, and who they were. Sometimes we said nothing. they always jut said "Help me". I don't think it was a recording, just someone saying help me everytime.

Number is actually in South Wales. Newport.

Two digits too long for a genuine Somali number

 

[PaulSecteur]

Number is actually in South Wales. Newport.

Two digits too long for a genuine Somali number

Its on my dads Doro phone. When it displays a phone number it shows the first few digits, then starts to scroll it across, but then the screen goes dim. Probably a typo on my part.

 

[classic33]

Its on my dads Doro phone. When it displays a phone number it shows the first few digits, then starts to scroll it across, but then the screen goes dim. Probably a typo on my part.

I've come across the telephone number before, just a different dialling code.
And it should have been Newtown, Wales. Not Newport, South Wales.


End result is the same though.

 

[ufkacbln]

Thanks Paul. I've just warned my 82 year old mother who seems to be a target for these type of people.

There are "lists" that are sold on to other scammers. Often someone naively or innocently responds to a scam which gets them an entry to the list

Many elderly people are on these lists, and become a target

Think Jessica offers an insight and is named after one such victim

 

[ianrauk]

Oi Paul.... edit the title bud!!!

 

[summerdays]

Block the number on their phone or label it SPAM or NUISANCE CALL so they either know not to answer or don't even see it. I know it doesn't solve all the other numbers but I'm always surprised by the number of times the caller comes up as spam meaning they have called before.

 

[PaulSecteur]

Oi Paul.... edit the title bud!!!

What to...? "welsh people impersonate somalia nations in multinational phone scam"

Im not going to get a job on a newspaper writing catchy headlines like that!!!