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Was this a scam?

8 replies

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 28/04/2025 20:23

I was walking down the "high street" of my village this morning, and I guy stopped me and said that he'd broken down, but he'd run out of credit on his phone, so could I ring this number (he pointed to a number written on a piece of paper he had in his hand), and ask them to call him (he gave an unusual name). Would I mind?

It seemed a bit iffy to me, so I said I did mind and carried on. He didn't seem too upset. He didn't throw himself at my mercy and tell me he'd never get home or anything, but I still felt uncomfortable refusing to help him.

It's just that my phone is connected to my bank a/c and I was concerned that "this number" could actually be some clever coding to empty my bank a/c or something. I couldn't quite see the number, but it didn't look like 07* format.

Was it a scam? Or am I too suspicious ?

There was also a library over the road. Surely if you were stuck with a broken down car you'd ask to use their phone, rather than stopping someone in the street?

OP posts:
Symposium · 28/04/2025 20:29

Sounds weird and I wouldn’t have done it either.

Crinkle77 · 28/04/2025 20:29

Sounds iffy to me. If he'd run out of credit why would he have the number written down on a scrap of paper and not stored in his phone. It was his credit and not the battery that was the issue.

BashfulClam · 28/04/2025 20:31

There are numbers can charge a fortune for calling them so you did the correct thing. I had an argument with a woman on the bus who wanted my phone ‘to call her Dr’ I refused as I don’t let people use my phone unless I know them.

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POTC · 28/04/2025 20:33

No idea about the potential scam, but you're deluded if you live in a Norfolk village and think the library is going to let someone use the phone to call a random number 😂 There's no way they'd do that, it could be a foreign number and cost them a fortune, plus they'd have everyone wanting to do it!

DustlandFairytaleBeginning · 28/04/2025 20:33

You did the right thing. Sometimes they are just waiting for you to get your phone out and unlock it for a snatch and run.

pimplebum · 28/04/2025 20:38

I would say I’ll ring the AA for them and give The location

bit suss that they had a number already on paper and why could he not top up ?

sunnydayz43 · 28/04/2025 21:15

IME you dodged a bullet there OP.
Much of the scamming goes on by catching people off guard, where some would be inclined to say yes to a request for supposed 'help,' before they'd say no.
You did the right thing under the circumstances, and like the person who asked you knew, there would be others they could ask.

IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads · 28/04/2025 22:08

@POTC I don't live in Norfolk, but maybe I am deluded.

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