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a different scam?

(19 Posts)
infoman Tue 28-Sep-21 06:22:44

a phone call from "friends OR relatives"?
Saying use this number in future as I have broken my old numbers phone hand set.
Even if you have broken a phone
(as opposed to it being lost or stolen) you should be able to use the old sim card phone number in another phone hand set.
Please be careful and warn others

Kim19 Tue 28-Sep-21 06:31:48

Thank you. This whole mobile thing bamboozles me at the best of times.

Whatdayisit Tue 28-Sep-21 06:59:33

Are you saying that your friends and relatives are calling you and saying they have changed their number or random strangers are calling saying they are a friend or relative who has changed their number?

AGAA4 Tue 28-Sep-21 07:41:05

Think it must be scammers posing as friends?

MayBeMaw Tue 28-Sep-21 07:50:19

I have never come across this one.

Georgesgran Tue 28-Sep-21 09:57:55

I’m a bit lost off - how is that a scam?

Whatdayisit Tue 28-Sep-21 10:25:53

Infoman more info needed if you actually have it?

Shinamae Tue 28-Sep-21 10:28:47

?

FannyCornforth Tue 28-Sep-21 10:33:35

Hello infoman sorry, I’m another one who doesn’t understand your post.
I’ve read it a few times now.

Do you mean that you’ve had texts from your contacts asking you to use a new number?
If so, this is normal practice, in my experience anyway

FarNorth Tue 28-Sep-21 10:37:46

A phone call?
Wouldn't you recognise the voice, if it's your friend or relative?
Or not, if it's not.

Aldom Tue 28-Sep-21 10:40:42

As I understand it, OP means scammers are contacting people on the pretence of being a known contact. Giving out a 'temporary' telephone number, which I can only assume gives them financial gain or the means to hack into the users phone. Just guessing.

Namsnanny Tue 28-Sep-21 10:43:35

Thanks for passing on the tip infoman

Ro60 Tue 28-Sep-21 11:40:34

Just 2 weeks ago I did have an e-mail from an old friend who I've not had contact with for some years asking if I could contact them urgently. Then heard nothing. DD - pointed out it was a scam.

Not had the phone text ones though.

lemsip Tue 28-Sep-21 12:12:05

you cannot put a sim from a broken phone into another phone unless that phone is a 'sim free'phone when purchased or been unlocked from any contract.

Baggs Tue 28-Sep-21 12:22:49

lemsip

you cannot put a sim from a broken phone into another phone unless that phone is a 'sim free'phone when purchased or been unlocked from any contract.

If you acquire a new phone after breaking your old one, it will be at "factory settings", so you can put in your old SIM.

If someone gives/sells you an old phone of theirs they should return the device to factory settings before giving you it.

infoman, I understand what you said in the OP. For those who don't, perhaps calling the supposed friend or relative on their old number might solve the problem by illustrating the scam.

infoman Wed 29-Sep-21 04:00:58

Sorry every one,I should have said a text not a phone call,
am I forgiven?
Just keep safe every one.

FannyCornforth Wed 29-Sep-21 04:15:09

Hello infoman
No need to apologise!
I knew that you meant a text, I’m still a bit confused though smile

FarNorth Wed 29-Sep-21 09:06:04

infoman have you tried to find out from your friend/relative if they have genuinely changed number?

Not everyone is aware that you can transfer your old number to a new phone.

MerylStreep Wed 29-Sep-21 09:13:49

This might help with understanding.

www.which.co.uk/news/2020/04/sim-swap-fraud-how-criminals-hijack-your-number-to-get-into-your-bank-accounts/