A Japanese scam that involves a company calling cell phones and hanging up, causing the owner to call back has migrated to the Isle of Man. All Manx Telecom mobiles have received a call over the last week from an 0871 number. The company sending the calls out is selling international call services, but there is no indication of this so many customers have responded to the missed call, thinking it might be something important.
Customers who have responded and returned the call will find that any short call has not resulted in a significant charge. Some have even spoken to a salesman at the company and been told that the company is 'working with Manx Telecom'. Manx Telecom has reported the company to the telecoms regulator and is advising customers to ignore the calls.
In Japan, there have recently been incidences of companies using this to get cell phone users to call back a missed call, where the number dialed is in fact a premium rate number. In this case, the "scam" appears to have been used as a marketing technique as opposed to a premium rate number swindle."
Posted to the site on 24th February 2003
Posted to: www.cellular-news.com/story/8357.php