Beware of missed call to check SIM cloning
Next time if you get a missed call starting with +92; #90 or #09, don't show the courtesy of calling back because chances are it would lead to your SIM card being cloned. The telecom service providers are now issuing alerts to subscribers —particularly about the series mentioned above as the moment one press the call button after dialing the above number, someone at the other end will get your phone and SIM card cloned.
According to reports, more than one lakh subscribers have fallen prey to this new telecom terror attack as the frequency of such calls continues to grow. Intelligence agencies have reportedly confirmed to the service providers particularly in UP West telecom division that such a racket is not only under way but the menace is growing fast. "We are sure there must be some more similar combinations that the miscreants are using to clone the handsets and all the information stored in them," an intelligence officer told TOI.
General Manager (GM) BSNL, RV Verma, said the department had already issued alerts to all the broadband subscribers and now alert SMSes were being issued to other subscribers as well.
As per Rakshit Tandon, an IT expert who also teaches at the police academy (UP), the crooks can use other combination of numbers as well while making a call. "It is better not to respond to calls received from unusual calling numbers," says Tandon. "At the same time one should avoid storing specifics of their bank account, ATM/ Credit/Debit card numbers and passwords in their phone memory because if one falls a prey to such crooks then the moment your cell phone or sim are cloned, the data will be available to the crooks who can withdraw amount from your bank accounts as well," warns Punit Misra; an IT expert who also owns a consultancy in Lucknow.
The menace that threatens to steal the subscriber's information stored in the phone or external memory (sim, memory & data cards) has a very scary side as well. Once cloned, the culprits can well use the cloned copy to make calls to any number they wish to. This exposes the subscribers to the threat of their connection being used for terror calls. Though it will be established during the course of investigations that the cellphone has been cloned and misused elsewhere, it is sure to land the subscriber under quite some pressure till the time the fact about his or her phone being cloned and misused is established, intelligence sources said.
"It usually starts with a miss call from a number starting with + 92. The moment the subscriber calls back on the miss call, his or her cell phone is cloned. In case the subscribers takes the call before it is dropped as a miss call then the caller on the other end poses as a call center executive checking the connectivity and call flow of the particular service provider. The caller then asks the subscriber to press # 09 or # 90 call back on his number to establish that the connectivity to the subscriber was seamless," says a victim who reported the matter to the BSNL office at Moradabad last week. "The moment I redialed the caller number, my account balance lost a sum of money. Thereafter, in the three days that followed every time I got my cell phone recharged, the balance would be reduced to single digits within the next few minutes," she told the BSNL officials.
Ref---Mumbai Mirror (INDIA)
http://www.mumbaimirror.com/article/7/20120702201207021452275976e4969/Be...
If one takes it lightly, he must know whats cloning first.
If the callers get your call back, technically he gets the authority and technical facility to make the duplicate copy of your sim. Through that, they can use your credit, listen to the calls you make or attend, read your sent or inbox sms. So, Any crime happened in India through your sim, that will cost you anything even here in Qatar.
You can do 2 things, 1st, don't respond to such calls. 2ndly, raise your voice for such fraud and scams by Indian Telecom experts(thieves).
I also recieved a missed call from the same number yesterday. Good thing that I had doubt to call back to that number. I tried to verify the country code but it seems this number is not existing from the list of country codes.
i am just wondering that to call them they receive any automatic balance? is there there any system? bcz i was having more minutes free and i did talk a lot but she did not ask any money etc but just willing to talk more. may be i think they have something? bcz only u can call from Q-tel and from net calling its wrong.........
I haven't respond to it.. As International call is not in my free minutes :P.
when i call back there is some lady speaking Hindi, and will say i am from city center etc and when u will ask why u miscalled me, she will say i was calling some one else etc but now if u have call lets talk etc.... But i am wondering if u will try to call on this number from any online calling service i.e Skype, dial-er etc it will show number is wrong but from Q-tel mobile sim call will go there and they will try to talk you more is they can make fool you. and second thing i am wondering that is there any benefit going to them if u are calling them ?is they getting any balance due to receiving calls from Q-tel?
It can also happen in Qatar if you're stupid enough to answer missed calls from people you don't know. Why are people so stupidly curious?
Now this only happened/happening in India? never heard about it before!
A friend of mine was a victim of this scam. The call came from a number starting with +91.
He was asked to verify his information (which the caller already had). Then asked for a call back. Next day he lost his balance.
I never react to missed calls. Let them call again, and again until I want to talk to them. Never had a problem therefore.