Calls from similar number

[Marleyforlan]

Hi.. today I received a call from a very similar number to mine just a couple end digits off.. the guy said he was returning a call I just made to him (which I hadn't) and then I told him I had not called him and he said OK no worries bye.

Thinking this was an anomaly of some sort I went on with my day.. then when I was away from my phone around an hour later another different number very similar to mine I have a missed call from.. no message left. 

I am not sure what the scam could be here..is someone else somehow using my number to call people?

[chistery]

spammers seem to think that people are more likely to answer their phone if the number displayed is similar to the one called - Neighbour spoofing.

if that person doesn't answer then calls it back later, they get the real owner and wonder why they called them, but they didn't.

Never call back a number you don't recognise. I don't get why people are so happy to call numbers they don't know.

[caryslouise]

I've just had the same thing - a missed call yesterday from the same phone number except the last 3 digits, and had another one just now. Didn't answer and tried to text both, but messages won't send. 

xxx is going on??

[chistery]

@caryslouise  It's a spammer spoofing the number hoping you pick it up as you think the number looks like yours. I suggest never ringing or texting a number you don't know.

[Sally432]

I've had the same issue, all from numbers with the first 7 digits the same as mine. Started in the last few days.  Also calls from 020 3935 9444 and 020 3942 5822.  I don't have a landline and don't live in London so this may be something different, but it's been in the same timeframe.  On the couple of occasions I've picked up, they've just hung up.  I now just reject them all on the basis that if it's a genuine caller, they'll leave a message. 

I've never had much of a problem with nuisance calls before so this is a bit of a worry.....

[Karltorbay]

I’ve also been having this issue for about 2 months. Sometimes from several numbers in the same day. My number but the Last 3 digits are different every time. Interestingly when I call any of them back from an unrelated phone many are none existent, some have strange network messages saying that the number has been temporarily restricted. One time it went through to a personal voicemail.

It’s a little weird and definitely frustrating. Never had this type of thing happening in all my years. This isn’t a normal marketing call.

[Leanne_T]

Hi there @Sally432 @Karltorbay

Thanks for coming to the community and making us aware. 

You can report the call to EE Just text 'call' to 7726 followed by a space, then the number that called you, we use the data collected to help protect all of our customers.

For advice from EE in relation to scams and how to keep yourself safe, take a look at the following pages

Scams: Information about scams currently circulating article >

Spam and phishing - How to stay safe and report it article >

Thanks 🙂

Leanne. 

[Sally432]

Thanks - I’ve now reported all 6 calls I’ve had in the last week

[Leanne_T]

Thanks for reporting these @Sally432

Leanne 🙂

[Hb12]

Interestingly I've just ported my number across to EE and this has just only started happening to me since the port....which has only been a few days! Numbers calling me very similar to my own. EE definitely has a data breach and I for one will be moving my number away from this network. I think its ridiculous you have this many people with the same issue yet refuse to investigate 

[James_B]

Hi @Hb12,

Welcome to the EE Community. 🙂

Unwanted marketing calls and number spoofing (where nuisance callers and criminals deliberately alter the caller ID) are problems that affect users of all mobile networks and aren't an indication of a data breach.

James