Lost tourist in Dublin borrows your phone

A

amtc

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Most of the scams here are Internet based so if this isn't appropriate let me know.

My dad, who's 75, was on a rare trip into town yesterday and decided to have a pint and read the paper in a pub he used to go into when young (off Grafton St). Anyway, there was only one other person in the pub and he appeared very distressed as he purported to be a tourist who couldn't contact his friend to pick him up as he had no phone to call him. He had a full pint of Guinness, and said he'd never had a pint before. So he asked if my dad could lend him his, and my dad noticing that the guy was drinking the pint extra quick (and if it was your first pint I'd assume you couldn't!) said he didn't have one. He just felt there was something not quite right. And the guy left. Anyway the barman (who had been upstairs) came down and when my dad told him the story described the guy to a tee. Turns out he's a scam artist all over pubs, posing as a lost American tourist, asks for your phone, uses it in front of you - but the number won't connect, because what he's actually getting is your IMEI number to clone the phone and access your bank records etc. But you feel like a good helpful person, your phone is visible at all times and you get it back.
 
Hi amtc

What is an IME1 number?

If I gave you my phone, how could you access any records other than the names and mobile numbers on my phone?

Brendan
 
From Vodafone support:

"All devices have a unique identity number, known as the International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. If your phone is stolen then we can track if it's being used on the Vodafone network so keep a note of it somewhere safe.
To find out your number, look behind the battery or dial *#06# into your phone and it will display on screen."
 
yeah but your IMEI number is unique to your actual phone and not your sim card. Which is surely where the cloning occurs
 
The scam is more simple.

Setup a €10 per minute phone line in a country with poor telecoms regluation. Borrow phones are call the number.
 
What will they think of next - I would have probably fallen for this one if I hadn't read about it here. :eek:
 
jhegarty said:
The scam is more simple.

Setup a €10 per minute phone line in a country with poor telecoms regluation. Borrow phones are call the number.
Click to expand...

That makes much more sense.

So, if a stranger asks me if they can borrow my phone to make a phone call, I will offer to call the number for them and only call an Irish number.

Brendan
 
I had lunch today with someone from ComReg and they have lots of complaints re this. I'm just glad my dad had enough cop on not to do it. I must say the bank details didn't make sense to me but that's what he was told by the barman.
 
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