Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is planning to launch an awareness campaign to educate mobile phone users on illegal balance transfer (mobile credit).
It is often seen that mobile phone subscribers receive SMS or even calls telling them about a lottery prize of 5 lakh or so. Callers ask mobile users to transfer balance (mobile credit) in order to avail the lottery prize. PTA intends to aware mobile phone subscribers that no cellular company will ask them for any kind of balance transfers against any lottery prize.
Cellular Companies Promotions Being Misused: Mobilink and Ufone started quiz based lotteries for its customers and such offers are being misused by fraudulent elements to trap innocent subscribers. Mobile phone users must inform their respective help line in case they receive any such call. Make sure that you save the caller’s number to get it reported. You can remain safe by simply confirming any legal prize scheme launched by your operator or registering a complaint instead of replying those numbers.
Mobile Phone Scams: Mobile phone scams are rising day by day, sometime with juicy lotteries or otherwise with threat calls. Though, it is extremely difficult to have an unregistered SIM these days, so using an illegal SIM without owners’ information is not very easy, but still – fraudulent people find a way to trap innocent people, this is many times done via internet.
Mobile Credit: You can be tricked by deceivers who use deceptive and fraudulent practices in order to obtain mobile credit from your prepaid/postpaid account – or even worse financial loss. For the purpose, cellular companies have already lowered their upper limit of sharing mobile credit.
Fraudulent Practice: Never respond to any call or SMS asking you to call on a particular number to win prize, as it will transfer your prepaid mobile phone amount to another number. Some people receive call or SMS asking to call or SMS on a particular number to win free minutes, one should never respond to any such call or SMS as it is not going to get you free minutes, instead your credit will be transferred into another account. Phone call or SMS asking you to transfer your prepaid balance to develop friendship: Beware of any such calls as criminals change their voice or use voice changer to pretend as females to take financial advantages. Phone calls or SMS asking for an amount for SIM registration: Your operator will never ask you for money for SIM registration, therefore never transfer any amount to any number for SIM registration
SMS with Unknown String: Unknown Messages with Unknown String: Do not reply or press any key to any string of numbers (e.g.8100#92805812233023##) received through SMS. Simply exit or discard it at first instance. Do not open/save any business or contact card with the name Shazia and a string of number, as it would transfer your the mobile balance to someone else. Never save the number from which you receive such string number, you can pen in down if you want to, as these are mostly sent via internet and in case of replying or saving this number your credit will be transferred to that number.
Money, Car or Plot Winners: If you get a call and person says that you have won a car, 10 million rupees or whatever, never transfer any money to any bank account or through balance share. Be aware of the fact that cellular companies are giving away car prizes, so you better check from your mobile operator for the genuineness of prize before you celebrate it. But in any case, don’t transfer money to anyone. Your operator will never ask you for money in return of a prize.
Register Complaint: You can register your complaint at following numbers: Ufone: Dial 333 from Ufone numbers or 111-333-100 from landline, Zong: Dial 310 from Zong numbers or 111-222-111 from landline, Warid: Dial 321 from Warid numbers or 111-111-321 from landline, Mobilink: Dial 111 from Mobilink numbers or 111-300-300 from landline, Telenor: Dial 345 from Telenor numbers or 111-345-111 from landline. In case your complaint is not addressed by your concerned operator, contact PTA’s consumer protection department. PTA Complaint Resolution Contact details: Helpline: 0800-55055, Fax: 051-2878127, Email: complaints@pta.gov.pk
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