Vodafone Phone Scam

A new mobile phone scam leaves victims with a £300 bill for calls that they never made.

20:50 29 April 2016

Thousands of mobile customers have fallen victims to a terrifying new scam that leaves them with a £300 bill for calls that they never made.

 

In the majority of cases that involve Vodafone, EE and 02 customers, the scam begins with a customer receiving a call from an unfamiliar number that starts with 0845 or 0843. The call, which lasts just a fraction of a second, is recorded on the mobile handset as a missed call. When victims receive their phone bill, it will show that they called the number back for up to 12 hours and owe a huge sum.

 

Communications watchdog Ofcom has launched an investigation after receiving thousands of complaints from mobile phone users.

 

A spokesman said: 'We are very concerned to hear of a number of people receiving mobile charges they didn’t expect. Ofcom is working with the mobile operators, industry experts and partner regulators to establish the causes and address the problem.

 

'We are pleased that Vodafone is blocking suspicious numbers and refunding affected customers. We advise those who believe they are affected to contact their phone company promptly'.