Weird situation, possibly a scam?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Boz Mon
  • 24 comments
  • 1,009 views
Boz Mon

Boz Mon

Messages
1,478
Every day I take the 8:30AM train to Chicago. Today was no different. I am sleeping on the train when I am woke up by some random lady asking if she can use my cellphone because hers is broke. She offers to pay me 50 cents for the call. I told her that I dont have a phone and I went back to sleep. I thought this was kinda weird. She might have been legit but then again maybe not. Whats everyones take on this situation?
 
My take is that you're freaking out a bit. If that happens everyday exactly the same, then I might be weirded out some, but if it was just this one time why would you think it was a scam? I mean, how would a scam like that work anyways?
 
She could have commited a felony and such and they could trace the call to his phone?

Maybe she could call in a bomb threat to a public building?

That's all I can think of.
 
She could have called a 900 number (X-rated smirk n jerk line) and racked up a huge phone bill, walking away happy knowing she just got off for only 50 cents. (Which is a deal if you ask me :D 👍 )
 
RICHARDO
She could have commited a felony and such and they could trace the call to his phone?

Maybe she could call in a bomb threat to a public building?

That's all I can think of.
Click to expand...

The first one seems plausible but the second one isn't. I wouldn't let her out of my sight with my phone, I'd be able to hear what was said.

Same for the X-rated phone call.
 
Trust no one! She might just be a innocent person who wants to tell her husband she's late, or she could be a mass murderer planning on destroying the world :(
 
SRV2LOW4ME
She could have called a 900 number (X-rated smirk n jerk line) and racked up a huge phone bill, walking away happy knowing she just got off for only 50 cents. (Which is a deal if you ask me :D 👍 )
Click to expand...

Thats the most likely of all the non honest possibilities.
 
I saw this type of thing on a television programme once. What the person does is they go into your phone settings and direct all your outgoing calls so that they go through a call center which they own, therefore when you make a call it costs you an extra amount of money, which goes straight to the call center owners.

The people that do this have done it so often that it can take them a very little amount of time to do this re-directing of your calls, and so it looks like they are dialling the number then when they are finished they just act like they are on a call.

I'd never lend my mobile to any stranger. You may call me suspicious or over cautious, but thats because I am.
 
Probably over-reacting, but...you can never be too sure...never lend your phone to anyone... I'm the same way...tbh I never even lend my phone to anyone other than the girlfriend..
 
I've had people ask me to use my phone before and the only time I will let them is either 1.) I know them 2.) they were just in some sort of accident. Other then that they can find a pay phone at a gas station if it's that important, but honestly I think my parents are the only two people I know that do not have a cell...my grandma even has one.
 
You're prolly overreacting, but she could've done something real sadisitic if you did let her use the phone, guess you'll never know.

Joey D
I've had people ask me to use my phone before and the only time I will let them is either 1.) I know them 2.) they were just in some sort of accident. Other then that they can find a pay phone at a gas station if it's that important, but honestly I think my parents are the only two people I know that do not have a cell...my grandma even has one.
Click to expand...

Same here, if I don't know 'em I pull the 'I don't have a cell phone'.
 
I figured I might have been over reacting but there was something about the way she said it, and how she offered me the 50 cents. PLUS she woke me up. bastard.
 
I'd say she's probably legit.. My Mum and I got seperated when we were in Cardiff on holiday in Wales once and no one would let her use their mobile phones to call me. She offered to pay them too but no one wanted to help. She ended up having to go into a shop and use their landline. She didn't have a very good first impression of Welsh hospitality...
 
I don't know if it was her intention, but that could be a pretty creative way to hit on someo...... I mean strike an conversation with interesting people. I might try it.
 
Queen Bee
I saw this type of thing on a television programme once. What the person does is they go into your phone settings and direct all your outgoing calls so that they go through a call center which they own, therefore when you make a call it costs you an extra amount of money, which goes straight to the call center owners.

The people that do this have done it so often that it can take them a very little amount of time to do this re-directing of your calls, and so it looks like they are dialling the number then when they are finished they just act like they are on a call.

I'd never lend my mobile to any stranger. You may call me suspicious or over cautious, but thats because I am.
Click to expand...

exigeracer
So dial yourself.
Click to expand...

Interesting - but even dialing the number yourself could still leave you open to a scam, since some of these premium rate phone lines have numbers that you wouldn't necessarily recognise as a premium rate line...

Also, being uber-skeptical here, but the Madrid train bombers used mobile phones to trigger their devices... I'd be very wary of letting a complete stranger use my phone too.

a6m5
I don't know if it was her intention, but that could be a pretty creative way to hit on someo...... I mean strike an conversation with interesting people. I might try it.
Click to expand...
Yes, that's a good point... my decision to lend my phone could easily be influenced by whether she was cute or not. :p
 
She could have phoned a premium rate line that charged a flat rate for the call. So basically, no matter how long you are on the line for, provided you connect you can pay an extremely high flat rate. As far as I know, there's no cap on this in the UK.

OpheliaMontague
I'd say she's probably legit.. My Mum and I got seperated when we were in Cardiff on holiday in Wales once and no one would let her use their mobile phones to call me. She offered to pay them too but no one wanted to help. She ended up having to go into a shop and use their landline. She didn't have a very good first impression of Welsh hospitality...
Click to expand...
Young kid goes round Cardiff asking to 'borrow' their phone. No doubt you asked all the nice looking people aswell that you could have easily outrun the second the phone was in your hand...
 
She says that her mum asked people if she could borrow their cellphones, not herself


And must be awkward when you say: i don't have a cellphone, and moments later someone calls you :)
 
DustDriver
She says that her mum asked people if she could borrow their cellphones, not herself


And must be awkward when you say: i don't have a cellphone, and moments later someone calls you :)
Click to expand...
Ah yeah, my apoligies, I read that completely wrong.
 
Touring Mars
Interesting - but even dialing the number yourself could still leave you open to a scam, since some of these premium rate phone lines have numbers that you wouldn't necessarily recognise as a premium rate line...

Also, being uber-skeptical here, but the Madrid train bombers used mobile phones to trigger their devices... I'd be very wary of letting a complete stranger use my phone too.
Click to expand...

Maybe in the UK it's different, but in North America, the lines that charge for calls have easily recognizable numbers.

I guess I haven't been pumped full of enough paranoia to be worried about any of these kinds of problems.
 

Latest Posts

Back