Don't Fall for this Telephone Ruse
Friends, there are some bad people who are up to tricks to scare and cheat you of your money. Please read this as it is my story and not a forward.
My brother received a call of distress from one claiming to be my son. In answers to questions, the caller claimed that he has been badly beaten. He says he is confused, does not know where he is and that his head is bleeding badly.
This sure scared the green shit out of my brother and mother as the voice really did sounded like my son. Fortunately my brother had the wits and presence of mind to ask him what his other name was. To this, the bad person on the other end knew that the game was up and hung up immediately.
Coincidentally, my brother had called my son in the morning to ask him to be careful as there seemed so much uncertainty over the coming Bersih 2.0 rally. Could these bad people have access to my brother’s number somehow?
Friends, if there is anything to learn, please be careful that there are bad people who will use this kind of telephone trick. This is just one variation. Another variation had a girl claiming to be a daughter being abducted and asks the parents or relatives to deposit money in return for her safety.
Yet another variation will call the victim claiming that there is a problem with the victim’s phone (like being used by criminals, being under investigation by the police or some other authority or institution etc). The victim is then asked to switch off his mobile phone for a period of time. The victims family are then contacted with some ruse or other. The effect of this ruse is that the victims family may immediately call the victim and of course with the phone off, would be unreachable adding reality and emergency to the situation. They thus fall for the trick losing money to these bad people.
Learning my experience, I would suggest:
1. Family members may adopt a code word system which is shared among family. In any emergency calls of this nature, the right question can be asked to determine the authenticity of the caller. The caller would not be able to give the correct answer.
2. In response to such situations, work as a group NEVER alone as a group can think more rationally. Ask friends to assist and if necessary check with the police for advice.
Please tell your friends as well my story. Thanks.
