Telegram scammer tried to extort $ and terminated my phone line.

[stoicism]

Just a warning to Bros.

Came across this account on telegram. Just casual chat at first. Asked for help to subscribe to some site using my phone number. Of course I refused. But next thing I know my mobile line got terminated. And the scammer threatened to send chat exchanges to home address. I said go ahead. I not scared. But actually I know they send also nothing incriminating.

Now pending assistance with Telco to reinstate phone line.

So Bros beware. Even if your telegram setting is don't allow contacts to see your number.. they can still find it if they do a search I think. Under the find contacts nearby. Best is really don't add any unknown numbers in telegram as contacts.

In my case damage is will have to spend a few hours without phone call and SMS while Telco is sorting out why they allowed a termination request to go through without my confirmation. But since I'm home.. shouldn't be an issue since still have WhatsApp and internet while on home wifi.

[Kovovo]

Mobile line got terminated??? How's that possible?? U gave out your particulars??

[stoicism]

Originally Posted by Kovovo

Mobile line got terminated??? How's that possible?? U gave out your particulars??

Nope.. here is my suspicion. I think the scammer managed to hack a Telco service staff account.. and using my phone number which is in my telegram they terminated my line and tried to extort $ from me.

Of course I not so dumb to share my number to even my telegram contacts.. but I realised with the search contacts feature they can bypass this limitation..

Still trying to resolve.. Telco says they can't reinstate my account until they can contact the service agent who initiated the termination to investigate further.

[stoicism]

Update. Finally got my number back. Feel relieved that there was no permanent loss of service..

[Kovovo]

This sounds v serious!

[stoicism]

Originally Posted by Kovovo

This sounds v serious!

I know.. I had a shock when I got the message from my Telco that my line was terminated. On further investigation it seemed that the scammer used starhub's service to port my number to a new mobile plan. Which is how my number got terminated on my telco's side.

I dug into it and realised that anyone can go on to starhub's website and sign up for a new account and give someone's phone number if they are with another Telco and say they want to port the number over to starhub.. that's all you need.. one way to really cause trouble for people.

[SerflySGR]

Originally Posted by stoicism

I know.. I had a shock when I got the message from my Telco that my line was terminated. On further investigation it seemed that the scammer used starhub's service to port my number to a new mobile plan. Which is how my number got terminated on my telco's side.

I dug into it and realised that anyone can go on to starhub's website and sign up for a new account and give someone's phone number if they are with another Telco and say they want to port the number over to starhub.. that's all you need.. one way to really cause trouble for people.

But that would mean that person will have to sign up a new line and also have to provide their personal particulars and pay up, correct?

[stoicism]

Originally Posted by SerflySGR

But that would mean that person will have to sign up a new line and also have to provide their personal particulars and pay up, correct?

I can't explain it.. but somehow it happened.

[fatguy]

my guess at what happen...

the website that the scammer sent you earlier was to steal your personal information.

most likely the scammer had the details of a few people, and phone numbers of quite a few since its easy to get via telegram.

most likely the end game was to get a free/discounted phone. most likely the phone will be sent to a rental address, or a "friend". won't be surprised if stolen credit card numbers are also used.

at the end of the day, its gonna be hard to trace the scammer.

It happens... so be aware, don't always let small head be in charge.

[fillerup]

How did he even get your name, IC and address? Telcos will not do anything without these.

[Rickey]

The internet is the unsafest place to be in to chat or exchange photos with each other, there r so many scammers in there ...Best is not to hv or install any of these kind of social apps but do so only in this sammyboy forum, the safest ...all u need is a small tech glitch in there n all your particulars are exposed for all in the world to see ...sometimes it is yr fault, being unfamiliar u din do yr settings to "private" properly but sometimes could also be some morons trying to hack into yr a/c...there was once a kind soul in kiks who messaged me to warn me that my kik's hp no. is exposed to all to see in there ...wow, so dangerous...

tats why i never like to use apps like telegram, wechat, kiks, facebook, twitter, skype, hangout etc but rather chat in here in sbf, the safest option...becos those apps are so open for anyone in the world to just go in and cause u trouble n transfer yr pics unknowingly all over the place n any derogatory remarks u make in there r quickly spotted n captured and u will be punished...and they are easily hacked by tech savvy troublemakers...so bros n sis esp those sending nude pics to each other via those apps better beware

[HelplessGal]

Originally Posted by stoicism

Just a warning to Bros.

Came across this account on telegram. Just casual chat at first. Asked for help to subscribe to some site using my phone number. Of course I refused. But next thing I know my mobile line got terminated. And the scammer threatened to send chat exchanges to home address. I said go ahead. I not scared. But actually I know they send also nothing incriminating.

Now pending assistance with Telco to reinstate phone line.

So Bros beware. Even if your telegram setting is don't allow contacts to see your number.. they can still find it if they do a search I think. Under the find contacts nearby. Best is really don't add any unknown numbers in telegram as contacts.

In my case damage is will have to spend a few hours without phone call and SMS while Telco is sorting out why they allowed a termination request to go through without my confirmation. But since I'm home.. shouldn't be an issue since still have WhatsApp and internet while on home wifi.

https://www.facebook.com/612054728/p...332174729/?d=n

[stoicism]

Originally Posted by HelplessGal

https://www.facebook.com/612054728/p...332174729/?d=n

Yeah my case was similar but of course I didn't entertain the person so much.. just straightaway block and called singtel using my home line to reactivate my account..

I seriously suspect either they compromised one of the singtel staff login details and so had access to their system and could do all kinds of account changes or else there is some other loophole they exploited.

[stoicism]

Originally Posted by fillerup

How did he even get your name, IC and address? Telcos will not do anything without these.

They may have compromised one of their customer service agents..

[sennheiser]

Originally Posted by stoicism

They may have compromised one of their customer service agents..

That's a possibility too. Not sure if the telcos outsource any of the backend work or not. That may be the weak link.