Millhouse

Hello - I've had this a number of times (six I reckon over 10 months) so thought it's worth sharing;

Basically, a mobile number calls you up. The person on the phone claims to be from etisalat and you have won a 2 million dirham prize from a lucky draw.

You need to confirm your details - they ask you to confirm some numbers on your sim card. Before they do that, they tell you the first 6 digits, you just need to confirm the last 4 or something.

If you call back and confirm, you'll never hear from them again and they can charge a few thousand dirhams to your phone.

I've called them back a few times just to play with them, given either wrong numbers, or asked to meet to give them a gift to say thanks etc. Now, I tell them that this is great news as I've won several times before.

Irishbeekeeper

I got a call from them once. The language that I used in Urdu would have put a Paki brothel owner to shame
Needless to say I dont get those scam calls anymore, althought I do keep on getting those irritating calls from Loan Agent Scum from my bank once a month saying, sir do you need a loan? And I always shout at them that who gave you my number? Rakbank (like other banks) have a habit of sharing your contact details with these outsourced sales people

Millhouse

I'm actually tempted to give them the real numbers for fun to see what happens. It's a company phone and i don't pay the bill - would keep our IT boy, finance team and PRO busy for a few weeks.

Irishbeekeeper

I have a few spare pre-paid burners lying about, thats a good idea, lets see what actually happens

jam25mack

This is an old old scam.... didn't know they were still doing it.

For the De'XXXX (you know the one), Golden Eye etc, if they ever call from a mobile (which they do occasionally) I always instruct them to delete me off their files otherwise I am going to post their details on craiglist etc advertising free bum fun with generous payment....

scrubbedexpat141

I book meetings with the DeeVee types if they're persistent.
I get really annoyed with the assumptive closes they try because they're crap.

Never had the Etisalat call though. I want to win 2m dizzers

Millhouse

do you show up to the meetings?

scrubbedexpat141

No.
Done it twice.
Didn't feel bad the first time, did the second.

Millhouse

Good lad.

scrubbedexpat141

First time they never even rang or asked where I was. So assume they never went either.

Second was pretty bad. I had to take the call eventually and apologised.

I'm not actually that sort of person....deep down.

Dubaiexile

The numbers on the SIM Card are the same on all that they quote, last time they tried it with my wife and I said I would come and pick up the prize in person....just needed their address....and would they mind if I bought my friend from the Police with me.....cheeky bugger put the phone down on me!!!

And I have also arranged meetings with the "Financial Advisors" and had some fun...told them I was wondering what to do with the USD 2 million bonus I was about to get....like listening to salivating, slobbering bloodhounds. Did backfire as they rang me incessantly for about 2 months.

GolfGardener

Why'd you feel bad?

- It probably saved you from receiving some future calls.
- Scumbag salesman had the opportunity to take a good look at his life and think about getting a proper job
- During the time that scumbag salesman wasted, he wasn't relieving some other poor fool of his cash.

Everyone's a winner!

scrubbedexpat141

Because they hadn't actually done anything to me apart from ring me to sell something.
Morally, wasting a lot of somebodies time and doing something deliberately deceitful doesn't feel totally right. I know they're aiming to do similar, but I didn't do it again.

Irishbeekeeper

first part of your statement : nope, once they go over to the dark side, then there is no coming back, they will always be sleazballs hence they have no remorse and no soul

second part : aey totally agreed!

nottmbantam

Similar one going off here in KSA. Caller ( from mobily ) speaks in Arabic, then transfers you to an English speaking colleague. Informs you that you have won 200K, all you have to to do is to go to the bank and collect your money.

However, they ask you to purchase three pre paid top up cards x 300 SR each ( from a different network ) and give them the numbers on the cards. They reel off all sorts of prize vouchers numbers etc and tell you the amount of your last bill. They demand that you go straight away to purchase the top up cards, has to be done today blah blah blah. The bank will pay you the prize money plus the amount of three top up cards. Had two or three in the space of two days but seems to have died off recently.

I asked why one network would want me to purchase top cards for a competitor network, and why they were ringing me at 6pm when all the banks were shut. And then it all unraveled from there....