# phone call from 001 xxxx - but no one there. A scam?



## The_Banker (8 May 2009)

Not sure if this is the correct section but I'll post anyway and mods can move if needs be...

I got a phone call this morning on my home landline from a blocked number and when I answered it I got what seemed like a recorded message which said… “Hello… I will now connect you to your party”.
It sounded like an American recording but I wouldn’t be 100% sure of that. My fear was that I would be connected to some Premium rate service so I hung up. But now I am curious… Anyone here ever receive a phone call like this?


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## huskerdu (8 May 2009)

*Re: Strange Telephone Call*

I haven't heard that in a long time. 
Back in the old days ( about 15 years ago), when we recieved a call from America, frequently the operator would put through the call and only connect the call when 
you had answered. 

These days, automatic dialling in call centres means that the call centre operator is not connected to you until you have answered but this usually is just a delay of a few seconds. I haven't experienced a message in these cases, but likely this is what it was. Just another cold calling sales call.....


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## Latrade (8 May 2009)

*Re: Strange Telephone Call*

It might just be telemarketing.

Where you have companies set up for telemarketing, they don't dial in each individual number, a computer tends to dial several numbers at once and when you answer this then connects you to a free operator.

These numbers usually only display as a private number and you can spot them easily as when you answer and, as usual, say," Hello." there's a lag of a couple of seconds before someone comes on the line. 

I suspect this might be the same thing. The lag gives you the chance to just hang up or stay on to abuse the person on the other end if that's your thing.


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## JoeB (8 May 2009)

*Re: Strange Telephone Call*

I too got a strange call but different to the one above.

I got a call and the caller ID came up as 8888 8888... I contacted Vodafone and asked them where the call may have come from, were there charges for receiving it.. can caller IDs be faked.. if I dialled that number on my handset what would happen? etc ..


Vodafone were basically unable to answer any of the above questions... and after several emails I gave up trying to get answers from Vodafone.

Cheers
Joe


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## The_Banker (8 May 2009)

*Re: Strange Telephone Call*



Latrade said:


> It might just be telemarketing.
> 
> Where you have companies set up for telemarketing, they don't dial in each individual number, a computer tends to dial several numbers at once and when you answer this then connects you to a free operator.
> 
> ...


 
Latrade,
That seems the most logical explaination. There was a lag of a couple of seconds before the recorded voice said "Hello"...

Thanks for the feedback.


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## Smashbox (8 May 2009)

*Re: Strange Telephone Call*



JoeBallantin said:


> I got a call and the caller ID came up as 8888 8888...


 
+86 28 *8888-8888* is the phone number of Sichuan Airlines in Chengdu, Sichuan, China. It was bought by a bidder representing Sichuan Airlines of China for 2.33 million yuan (US$280,723 or UK£177,209) during an auction in Chengdu of more than 100 telephone numbers, making it the most expensive telephone number in the world. The number eight is considered lucky in China, as it is similar to the Cantonese word for "getting rich". 

Ha, wiki


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## kkontour (8 May 2009)

*Re: Strange Telephone Call*

I dont suppose you are in arrears on a load, CC etc,
I know that the dialers in some credit call centers can dial several numbers at a time and put the first to answer on to the operator


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## huskerdu (8 May 2009)

*Re: Strange Telephone Call*



kkontour said:


> I dont suppose you are in arrears on a load, CC etc,
> I know that the dialers in some credit call centers can dial several numbers at a time and put the first to answer on to the operator


 
You are jumping to some pretty serious conclusions, assuming that it is CC arrears. As  has been pointed out by 2 posts, this technology is used in most call centres,


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## Smashbox (8 May 2009)

*Re: Strange Telephone Call*

Could be selling insurance products.... used to happen to me but then I went ex-directory and my phone has been silent.. apart from those I give my number to!


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## SparkRite (23 Oct 2009)

*Re: Strange Telephone Call*

Sorry Nathan, I didn't catch that....

Could you repeat it,please?


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## Pickle (23 Oct 2009)

*Re: Strange Telephone Call*

These have been around for some time, I even heard of people getting more than 10 calls a day, it is a pre recorded system but someone said if you leave it of the hook for a day or so it will cost them a fortune.


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## Deas (23 Oct 2009)

*Re: Strange Telephone Call*

I had a similar one some time back.  I received a call from a Dublin number I did not know.  Message left as I did not get to it in time - just noise.  I rang the number back and was connected to an international party line number.  I hung up and rang O2.  It transpired it was a con.  The number that they could see that I rang was a premium rate number in Taiwan or equivalent and cost equivale of €1 for 10 seconds.  In fairness to O2, they took it off my bill straight away.


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## Brendan Burgess (23 Oct 2009)

*Re: Strange Telephone Call*

Deas

Are you sure about that? 

If you ring an 01 number, how can they connect you to a premium line? you pay the charges of the number you dial. 

Maybe it looked like an 01 number, but was really a premium line?


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## Carramore (23 Oct 2009)

*Re: Strange Telephone Call*

I got a call this evening from 00123456789.  There was no-one on the line when I answered.  I was going to ring back but decided not to, as I reckoned that it was an international number that would have cost me a fortune.


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## pudds (23 Oct 2009)

*Re: Strange Telephone Call*

yup 001 sounds British me thinks.


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## so-crates (23 Oct 2009)

*Re: Strange Telephone Call*

0044 would be UK, 001 is US...


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## delgirl (23 Oct 2009)

*Re: Strange Telephone Call*

Did anyone see the documentary on TV this week, , about the personal medical details of UK nationals being sold in India to marketing companies worldwide?

We have our business line with BT, if you call them, you get connected to a call centre in India.  

We have been getting lots of calls lately from what sound like Indian nationals asking us if we want various services.

Makes us think that our details have also been sold on in India via the call centre as was shown in the programme.  Sometimes we get 5 or 6 calls per day.

No UK or Irish company worth their salt should use call centres in India in light of what the documentary exposed and consumers should refuse to use suppliers such as BT Ireland who give such call centres personal/detailed information about their customers.


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## Brendan Burgess (24 Oct 2009)

*Re: Strange Telephone Call*

I would say that there are very few of us whose details are not on a database somewhere in India. 

You should raise it with the Data Protection Commissioner. 

Brendan


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## irishlinks (24 Oct 2009)

*Re: Strange Telephone Call*



Carramore said:


> I got a call this evening from 00123456789.  There was no-one on the line when I answered.  I was going to ring back but decided not to, as I reckoned that it was an international number that would have cost me a fortune.



I've had a few calls from that number in the past 2 weeks too . Never anyone at the other end. Had one today - just don't answer it now. I have googled the number but no mention of it.


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## coolatjc (2 Nov 2009)

Hi all, just reading this thread.

For thw past month now I have been receiving telephone calls, normally at 11 ish in the morning.  THe number is unavailable and when i answer there is nobody there. Just Silence.  So I hang up. Then I tend to get the same call a 2 days later.

Today I decided to ignore the call and it just hung up after a while.

However I have just recived the same call tonight 5.30. So it looks by ignoring the call it changes to a different time slot.

Im also ex directory and im now getting sick and tired of these calls.

Any ideas on what they are?

Thanks.


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## Black Sheep (5 Nov 2009)

I got one of those calls from 00123456789, silence at the other end thankfully


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