Think I've been scammed, please help ASAP

[fortyforty]

Just had a phone call from a mobile number, answered it as expecting a call from a family member who's number I don't have stored. Ever since then (30 minutes ago) I've had 180 missed calls from different numbers. I've had texts saying 'you just rang me. Who is this?'

I'm on hold to Vodafone but clearly their customer services are in another country and she doesn't have a clue what I'm saying.

What the hell is going on? I'm having what's app calls and everything. I'm answering none of them. Has my phone number been hacked? Help please.

Try Vodafone via social media ASAP. Do you have Twitter? They are much more responsive this way.

Just make sure that your number isn't being used to re-route cheap-cost calls with you picking up the bill.

This would be on the network, not your phone and would be extremely difficult and not cost effective for the scammers to do.

It could be that you answered the initial call and put into the mass dailer as a "live" number and are now receiving the robo calls.

If you have truecaller installed (I presume your iphone) that should highlight some, if you are on android there is a better one that auto blocks known spam calls even if they are spoofing.

Just don't answer your phone to unknown numbers for a few days and check answerphone to pick off a few numbers you can block. You cannot be hacked by answering or making a phone call, unless you have installed some very dodgy app it will be just a phishing exercise where they have bought your phone number from some harvesting website that you freely entered your mobile number into.

Sites such as change.org used to be a data harvester that sold on data, so it's not necessarily something outright dodgy either.

Thanks all re the do not disturb - my settings were wrong so I've changed that now. It seems to be slowing down. Will call Vodafone in the morning and change my number. Had this number for years, such a shame but anyway. Typically my kids aren't here tonight - the call I answered originally was what I thought was them from the family member they are staying with

Just block and move on. Scams from many countries abound.

If you do not not recognise the number, block it.

Is there any reason you can't turn the phone off?

I would just occassionally check the block messages make sure the family member hasn't contacted you, I wouldn't change my number though too much hassle. If you don't answer or respond then they will stop calling. Had it myself about a car accident I wasn't in I ignored and it went away x

I don't want to change my number but I've had 290 people contact me in 3 hours so I don't think I've got much choice really

It's called spoofing. It happened to me a while back. Best thing to do is record a voicemail explaining that your number has been spoofed and the caller should block your number. Once people start blocking you then the scammers stop using your number. I also sent a similar text message and asked people to block my number. All my calls stopped after a single day.

Honestly don't change your number. Record the voicemail and send unknown callers straight to voicemail / send the text asking them to block. As soon as people start blocking you the scammers move on. I found this advice on a website an American lady had written. Her number kept being reused until she did this. The spoofers are trying to use your number to get past spam filters; as soon as people start blocking you your number becomes spam and thus useless to them.

Might sound as a joke, but have you tried to turn it off and on again?

Ok I was worried replying to these numbers could mean I get charged thousands of £££ to my phone bill or something

Do not reply! I would turn your phone off. If it carries on in a day or so, you will probably have to change your number :(

What is Tru caller and how does it work? Is it free?

Chang me your number by changing your provider. Buy yourself out of your contract if you have to. That’s what I did. I wouldn’t go back to Vodafone if you paid me. Useless, incompetent, lying arseholes.

*Change

This isn't limited to Vodaphone - I'm not with them. I have unlimited texts so texted a few people to ask them to block me. I'm assuming enough people did to make my number undesirable.

No I know but you don’t need much of a reason to get away from Vodafone. Seems like a good time to go.

It would cost me over £1000 to buy myself out - not something I'm prepared to do.

No calls through the night but had 1 this morning so far. The first 5 digits of the numbers who have called are exactly the same as mine

Tru caller is free and it's great. It tells you who's calling basically. And if another user has identified the number as spam, it tells you and your can block the number.

It may calm down, I would leave your phone on Do Not Disturb constantly for the next few days and if you can just let your favourites have access and see what happens. Also aren't you speaking to Vodafone today and see what they advise re. changing number, that will be a pain though but if needs must.

How are the scammers making money by getting people to phone OP?

I wouldn't change my number or buy myself out of the contract either, I agree with you on that.

It sounds like it's calmed down, the suggestion to record a voicemail message is a good one, genuine callers can always text you.

I've now had 650 missed calls!! I don't have Twitter but I've contacted Vodafone through Facebook. I just need to get my dcs home then I can switch my phone off. I might even go into my nearest Vodafone store even though it's not near me as this is just ridiculous

I had this with emails. I had a car on gumtree. Revived a message via the gumtree message centre. A guy saying he wanted the car. And can he have my email directly.. I stupidly did. Had over 1000 emails in minutes!
Then via the gumtree message centre. And other saying give me your address and number and I'll collect NOW.
I ignored. Had to try and block all the senders and domains. But somehow in tee process I blocked parent mail from school.. Ended up just opening a new email.

For everyone slating Vodafone, in this instance they have actually done nothing wrong. This is not their fault and unfortunately they cannot stop it.

As PPs have said, your number has been spoofed. Whoever spoofed it probably has already ditched it and moved on to someone else's number by now and you're just getting the fall out. People don't keep using the same spoofed number for long.

Of course you CAN change your number (£25 without a crime reference number) and it will stop these people calling you back but it WILL die down eventually.

As frustrating and scary as it is, people need to remember that this is not the fault of the network provider.