0208 phone numbers scams... anyone else affected?

[Dave7]

Like most on here, if we dont recognise the number we dont answer it. It goes to answer phone but 99% dont leave messages.
However we get regular calls from an 0208**number and when that goes to record it shows up as "recording message"......but there is no actual message. BUT.... and this is the problem.....it just keeps 'pretending' to be sending a message. Then I struggle to cut the false call off.
**the number is 0208 660 2094. I have googled it and it shows as belonging to a guy in Croydon who is a plumber.
There are forums for dodgy phone numbers (I found out via google) and THAT number is on the list of dangerous numbers. Apparently it could be coming from China via a cloned uk number.
Not a clue what these people are hoping to achieve but there are reports of people getting £300+ bills for calls they never made.
Scary.

 

[biggs682]

So we are not the only people that don't answer calls then

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Report it to your phone provider, it's a BT number but reporting them is like doing the proverbial into the wind, but your own provider should be able to block it as it comes into their network, https://who-called.co.uk/Number/02086602094 most people are getting the Amazon Scam message.

 

[DaveReading]

I'm still confused as to what 0208 numbers have to do with phone scams.

 

[Deleted member 26715]

I'm still confused as to what 0208 numbers have to do with phone scams.

Maybe too many s's ?

0208 phone number scam... anyone else affected?

Make more sense or are you trying to be obtuse or acute, I can never remember the angle

 

[vickster]

Landline, register with TPS. Mobile, just add to blocked list

 

[Deleted member 26715]

Landline, register with TPS. Mobile, just add to blocked list

Problem is just like OFCOM, TPS it's a waste of space & money

 

[vickster]

Problem is just like OFCOM, TPS it's a waste of space & money

I have almost no spam calls since registering years ago, won't do any harm as it's free

 

[Poacher]

Like most on here, if we dont recognise the number we dont answer it. It goes to answer phone but 99% dont leave messages.
However we get regular calls from an 0208**number and when that goes to record it shows up as "recording message"......but there is no actual message. BUT.... and this is the problem.....it just keeps 'pretending' to be sending a message. Then I struggle to cut the false call off.
**the number is 0208 660 2094. I have googled it and it shows as belonging to a guy in Croydon who is a plumber.
There are forums for dodgy phone numbers (I found out via google) and THAT number is on the list of dangerous numbers. Apparently it could be coming from China via a cloned uk number.
Not a clue what these people are hoping to achieve but there are reports of people getting £300+ bills for calls they never made.
Scary.

Thanks for that, Dave. Checking back through our call history, we had one from that number at 14.02 today. We have BT Truecall (or summat) which requires unknown callers to announce themselves so we can decide whether to allow them. Next to none of these callers get to this stage, they just hang up. I've added it to the blocked list anyway.

 

[classic33]

I'm still confused as to what 0208 numbers have to do with phone scams.

The legal owner may not know the number is being used. How often does anyone actually check the line is dead after replacing the handset after a silent call?

The number, if the line remains live, is then used to route calls through. It runs up your bill and gets you bad publicity.

 

[C R]

The legal owner may not know the number is being used. How often does anyone actually check the line is dead after replacing the handset after a silent call?

The number, if the line remains live, is then used to route calls through. It runs up your bill and gets you bad publicity.

What's the mechanism for transferring the cost to the receiving line?

 

[classic33]

What's the mechanism for transferring the cost to the receiving line?

Never had that bit explained. But the caller has control of your phone line/number.

Had similar on a mobile number, which I'd to hand over to Orange, and they took it from there.

 

[Drago]

Isn't 0208 one of the London codes? Therefore, any call will be dodgy.

 

[DaveReading]

Never had that bit explained. But the caller has control of your phone line/number.

Had similar on a mobile number, which I'd to hand over to Orange, and they took it from there.

I thought that the ability of an incoming caller to keep the line open after you put the phone down was disabled years ago?

From 2014: BT Changes UK Phone Call Clearing Procedure to Stop Fraudsters

 

[keithmac]

I turned my answer phone off years ago, any unknown number gets ignored and then added to the "block list" on my Android S8.

They can spoof local numbers as well.