[ILUG] Mobile Phone scam? hoax?

[James Coleman]

Hullo,
 
 I'm starting to get MORE and MORE of these mails recently, ....
  it's getting annoying so I'm sorry if this is the N=34th time you've
seen these.

 Of course I've been telling everyone it's most probably a hoax 
 (although if they're silly enough to follow instructions from j random
caller .........)

 Could there be really be a scam out there?
 Have Eircom/ESAT really confirmed this?
  ... and ... if so ... I don't really trust Customer care.
  Could they be embarrased? Show me the evidence!

 The following are two good sources of information that can be used 
 to verify the authenticity of such hoax? messages:
  http://chekware.simplenet.com/sechoaxfaq.htm
  http://www.Europe.Datafellows.com/virus-info/hoax/

James.
 

Subject: Urgent: Mobile Phone Scam
Date:    Mon, 29 Nov 1999 05:43:39 -0500
From:    important IT person @ big corporation.com
To:      An astounding list of people, sys admins, and of course
everyone locally @ big corporation.com

Folks,

See attached mail.
Both Eircell and Digiphone customer care have confirmed that this is not
a hoax! 
If you receive any unsolicited calls from "engineers" requesting
information
or action by you then disconnect immediately.  

Customer Care can be contacted at :
Eircell :  1800225588
Digiphone: 1909 



> From:         Someone at another big corporation
> Sent:         26 November 1999 11:29
> To:           huge list of people @ big corporation which I'm sure they wouldn't like to see being published in this way.
> CC: Marie Antoinette !!
> Subject:      Mobile Phone Users
> 
> 
>  IMPORTANT - MOBILE PHONES USERS
> 
> Please be aware of the follow:
> 
> If you get a phone call on your mobile from a Eircell or a
> Digiphone engineer, telling you that they are doing a check on your phone 
> and that you have to press #90 or 09#.
> 
>   *END THE CALL IMMEDIATELY*
> 
> There is a fraud company on the go who have devised a device that once you have
> pressed #90 or 09# they can access your SIM CARD and make calls from it at your 
> expense.
> 
> 
>       Tell as many people as you  know that 
>       have mobile phones to put this to an end.


Or a bit shorter (and sweeter?):

Subject: Fw: RE MOBILE PHONES
   Date: Thu, 25 Nov 1999 16:08:32 +0000
   From: someone @ somewhere
    To: everyone @ somewhere

I received this message from a BIG important company.

From: someone
To: everyone in someone's address book
Date: 25 November 1999 16:03
Subject: RE MOBILE PHONES


>SORRY FOR THE DUPLICATION IF YOU'VE ALREADY RECEIVED THIS
>INTERNALLY BUT BETTER SAFE THAN SORRY!!.
>.
>
>>Please be aware of the following:-
>>If you get a phone call on your mobile from a Eircell or an
>>Digiphone engineer, telling you that they are doing a check on
>>your phone and that you have to press #90 or 09#.
>>
>>
>>*END THE CALL IMMEDIATELY*
>>
>>>There is a fraud company on the go who have devised a device
>>that once you have pressed #90 or 09#, they can access your SIM CARD
>>and make calls from it at your expense.  Tell as many people as you
>>know that have mobile phones to put this to an end.