Qtel alert on SMS fraud

nicaq25
By nicaq25

DOHA Qtel on Tuesday cautioned its customers against a fraudulent SMS message, which has been sent to thousands of people across Qatar over the past 24 hours.

The text message reads, “Congratulations, you have won a Hummer 2009” and then provides a 15 digit number to call to collect the prize, starting with 0042 366.

The SMS alert is not an authorised contest in Qatar, and Qtel believes that the people behind the message are seeking to lure people into calling a premium overseas number with expensive per-minute international call charges, and trying to collect private and financial details when the call is put through.

Qtel is trying to trace and block the lines that are provided in the SMS message.

However, the gangs operating such scams change numbers and locations and continue to send fraudulent messages.

This is the second time that such SMS fraud has been detected this year, requesting people to call numbers starting with the prefix 0042 366 – the international calling code for Liechtenstein, a country with a population of less than 36,000 people.

Qtel believes these are sophisticated operations targeted specifically at the people of Qatar, using ‘Call Forwarding’ to disguise the call’s country of origin.

Qtel has reminded its customers that no legitimate contests licensed in Qatar will use SMS to contact winners or request they call a premium or overseas number.

When customers use their call forwarding feature, they should always verify the number first.

To safeguard their mobile numbers, Qtel also advises customers to exercise caution when they receive calls or messages from unknown numbers.

In addition to alerting the public via the media, Qtel also uses a range of SMS, mobile and online techniques to safeguard its customers from fraud of this kind.
http://www.qatar-tribune.com/data/20090812/content.asp?section=nation1_2

By josefdisoja• 17 Nov 2010 10:50
Rating: 2/5
josefdisoja

Shayari makes it so simple, fill your emotions into it and guess what your love accepts you whole heartedly.In todays fast paced and stressful lifes,it is important to seek some sort of entertainment or stressbuster. Hindi jokes are an easy way of releving Stress.

By mjamille28• 12 Aug 2009 14:55
mjamille28

they just don't give up..

By Jaryz• 12 Aug 2009 14:54
Jaryz

i received yesterday but a different 1..did not delete it to show to my friends that atleast even in my mobile i am a millionaire not by Qatari Riyals but in US Dollars ..lool

message sez comes from BINGOTEAM1 like this "CONGRATULATIONS!! Your Mobile Number Attached to Ticket Number WV-876 -332 -01 BS WON US:1,119,000.00

Email: bingomillion(A)gmx.es or Call +34 -634 -022 -570"

so what do you think guys?????????

Glitterfy.com - Glitter Graphics

By nicaq25• 12 Aug 2009 14:29
nicaq25

I don't like hummer. (send me wrangler instead, make it Rubicon, maybe I'll jump for joy!).LOL!

By Eagley• 12 Aug 2009 14:27
Eagley

These messages happen so often that I don't bother to notice their content anymore. But because the population of Qatar is transient, there are new people to take advantage of. Sigh!

/Btw, that's not the only scam using Qtel's services. Some call or send textes without the caller line being identifiable so cannot trace.

*****************************************

The Cookie Monster said it.

I also don't plagiarize...

By baldrick2dogs• 12 Aug 2009 14:17
Rating: 3/5
baldrick2dogs

It's very easy. Once you know the number format: +974 500 0000 to 799 9999 you just set up a small program to auto send a text to every number combination and hope you get lucky.

By nicaq25• 12 Aug 2009 14:03
nicaq25

sorry for that! But why these people know some numbers here Qatar?? Was Qtel hacked?

By baldrick2dogs• 12 Aug 2009 13:54
baldrick2dogs

nicaq25 said what's with Qtel again?? ...

It's nothing to do with Q-tel!!!!

At least they are trying to do something about it.

By nicaq25• 12 Aug 2009 13:42
Rating: 4/5
nicaq25

so far, not a victim of the above yet. Hopefully not.

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