Calls may be banned to combat credit scam

Telecoms watchdog Comreg is considering banning calls to and from certain sub-Saharan countries after the re-emergence of a scam in which mobile customers can have their call credit stolen.

Comreg (the Commission for Communications Regulation) said it had received complaints from members of the public in recent days after customers began receiving phone calls, usually with a +23 9 prefix.

Often it appears there is someone else on the other end of the line. If the person receiving the call is not a bill-pay customer and they ring back the number, their credit can be stolen.