Keep getting calls from Ghana!
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
United States
March 1, 2012 9:37pm CST
I keep getting calls with 2 too many numbers...the calls are from Ghana. Some man keeps calling saying Hello? and I heard him say he was Ghana. I have no idea why he is calling my phone. I suspect he is up to no good.
I went off on him and told him to lose my number. I told him DO NOT call my phone again, and he called right back, saying "hello?" Hello? and then he keeps trying to talk but then not sure if I'm there and he says Hello. Again I told him to quit calling. I was mad and wasn't very nice. He hung up and then called right back... and my son in law picked up the phone and said "What's up Mother flocker!" and the guy hung up for the night and then called back this morning and my daughter answered, and he did the hello thing... but never just says what he wants.. she told him to quit calling our number... then he called again and we ignored it.
Is thee any way to block an international call on an iphone? Is there a way he can steal my number to make calls with? I have every idea he is up to no good. I've heard of people's numbers being stolen to use for making calls around the world. I don't want a huge bill for calls I didn't make...
What do you think? Is this a scammer trying to steal my phone number? or is he is scammer trying to get me to listen to him?
How did he get my number in the first place?
2 people like this
14 responses
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
2 Mar 12
Most of the cell phones I've had I could BLOCK any incoming number so it didn't even ring. I don't know how to tell you to do it on your phone, but I think it can be done. Since you know his number, when you see it come up just hit the "Ignore" key & it will send him directly to voicemail. I strongly suggest that you contact your service provider & report him as a harassing caller so if anything does come up in the future, you have a complaint on record. I don't think I've ever had my number stolen, but I do think it was hacked once & they stole my address books & emailed everybody in them. There's a program so you can change the number that shows up on caller ID so the number you're seeing might not be the number he is actually calling from, so be careful!!!
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
2 Mar 12
Hi Marissa,
I did now just call AT&T and talk to them. They had me register my number with the DO NOT Call Registry... they see which number it is, and they will be watching it. I told her that I was afraid of some scammer trying to steal my number to make calls from... because I have heard of that being done. Anyway, I reported.
1 person likes this
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
2 Mar 12
GREAT JOB!!! 
Personally, I don't think the Do Not Call Registry will protect you if they are only trying to use your phone to place outgoing calls. My concern is that if he can afford to make long distance calls from Ghana to your phone, why doesn't he just call the person he wants to call??? I'm still not convinced that he's really in Ghana!!! I know that some scammers get the area code & first 3 digits of a particular provider & then they dial the final 4 digits in every possible combination until they hit the jackpot!!! I think you were wise to call AT&T so they can watch for what's happening. That way if they do make calls from your phone, you will have proof & AT&T probably won't make you pay for the scam.
I'm surprised that AT&T didn't have you block the number so it appears to be a disconnected number when he calls again. I hope this turns out to be no more than a wrong number with an idiot on the other end who thinks he's funny!!!
Personally, I don't think the Do Not Call Registry will protect you if they are only trying to use your phone to place outgoing calls. My concern is that if he can afford to make long distance calls from Ghana to your phone, why doesn't he just call the person he wants to call??? I'm still not convinced that he's really in Ghana!!! I know that some scammers get the area code & first 3 digits of a particular provider & then they dial the final 4 digits in every possible combination until they hit the jackpot!!! I think you were wise to call AT&T so they can watch for what's happening. That way if they do make calls from your phone, you will have proof & AT&T probably won't make you pay for the scam.
I'm surprised that AT&T didn't have you block the number so it appears to be a disconnected number when he calls again. I hope this turns out to be no more than a wrong number with an idiot on the other end who thinks he's funny!!!1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
2 Mar 12
The phone number had 2 too many digits to be from the US. I reported it. I have no idea why the person called me... he just goes hello hello hello... like he's not getting a good connection. He's probably some kind of scammer. Someone said there are scammers that try to act like they are in love with you and then hit you up for money.. i don't know what this one had in mind because he didn't get past hello...lol.
I just handed the phone to my son in law the last time and he went.. Hello MF what the H you want? and the person hung up...lol. Now I'm just ignoring the call. You'd think he would get tired of getting hung up on, or not being answered! Geesh! I don't know how he got my number.. maybe by chance.
@MaryLynn321 (2680)
• United States
2 Mar 12
Ghana is well know for scammers. Check it out with snopes.com. They will try and contact you usually through a website and then ask you to email them. They strike up a conversation and then eventually they act like they are falling in love with you. They usually don't say that they are from Ghana, they usually say they are from somewhere in the states or Europe. Then eventually they need money or want someone to send them money so they can come to the states. I don't know how he got your phone number. But, I would call your phone carrier and get the number blcoked, or they will tell you how to block it. Copy the number down. Do not talk to this person anymore. Did you get a book with your phone it might say how to block a phone number. Good luck.
Here are some links:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Ghana,-West-Africa---The-Fraud-Zone&id=652324
http://www.crimes-of-persuasion.com/Crimes/Business/nigerian.htm
http://www.snopes.com/info/search/search.asp
Here are some links.
@MaryLynn321 (2680)
• United States
2 Mar 12
I would look into it. Just keep doing what you are doing. If the same number comes up just don't answer it. I would definitely check with the phone company. If you can't block it, I guess I would see about changing the phone number.
I don't know why these people just keep it up, it is so annoying.
Good luck.
@BarBaraPrz (47308)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
2 Mar 12
I'd talk to your service provider, if I were you.
1 person likes this
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
2 Mar 12
I did and they will be watching this. They gave me the do not call registry. I'm not sure that will do any good, but if the calls continue after 31 days I can report it.
1 person likes this
@bunnybon7 (50973)
• Holiday, Florida
2 Mar 12
I was going to say, report it to your provider but i see its already been done. hugs, bon
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
2 Mar 12
Yep, I did it... so if any funny business goes on with my bill, I won't get charged for it. Not that anything will happen.. but I wanted to be sure.
@deodavid (4150)
• Philippines
2 Mar 12
Hi there pointless questions,
I think all of your speculations could possibly be true I mean how could he have your number in the first place and why does he keeps on calling without saying anything, it is really odd and ive worked for a telecoms company before i suggest you ask for ways that you can have this caller blocked.
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
2 Mar 12
He kept saying hello.. but I think he wasn't getting a good signal because he kept saying hello instead of just saying what he wanted. I was raising h3ll with him telling him to lose my number and he called right back saying hello hello...hello.
@Mashnn (4501)
•
2 Mar 12
Wow, this seems abit scaring. Where did he find your number? Did you give your number o someone who would probably have given to him? I would call the provider and inform them to block his number or any other number coming from that country.
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
2 Mar 12
I wouldn't know anyone who knows anyone in Ghana. It makes me think they must have some directory of cell phone numbers to call.
@winterose (39887)
• Canada
3 Mar 12
if it was your land line you could probably block the calls but I don't know anything about the iphone unfortunately.
@olliekobra1 (1825)
•
26 Jun 12
i think that if you get in touch with your phone provider they can block this caller.
@MsTickle (25180)
• Australia
12 Mar 12
When you next find him on the phone, say..."OK officer, this is the caller" (speak slowly and clearly) then try to engage him in conversation. Tell him you need him to stay on the line because the police are tracing his call. You won't hear from him again. LOL
Or, you can answer the phone as "Detective sergeant Roberts LA Police District here"...or something more fitting. Just make sure he thinks he's speaking to a police officer. 
@olliekobra1 (1825)
•
26 Jun 12
Thats a good idea but if the chap has phoned lots of times before he is going to know that your not a police officer i would change my number that is the only way to get rid of this idiot.
@lynboobsy11 (11343)
• Philippines
2 Mar 12
Maybe one of your friend who have your number shared it with others. Or do you join some raffle or some program that you have to filled up personal information. Most of the scam callers are from them. They gathered info and shared it to some telemarketers. Maybe you can ask your network provider about it If you can changed your number so that one will bothered you. It's very scary when someone you don't know will call. I hope you solved it soon
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
2 Mar 12
I have no idea how he got my number. My daughter asked me if my number was on Facebook... I said I didn't know... and she checked and it was.. so she took it off from there... maybe someone got it from facebook. I don't know. Anyway, it's not there anymore.
@trinkabelle (432)
•
2 Mar 12
call the company where you got your phone and tell them what's up, they should be able to block this weirdo for you, i have had calls like that myself and in the end i just bought a new sim card, i know it was inconvenient for me because i had to transfer all my numbers but it stopped the calls, i hope that you can do the same
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
2 Mar 12
Scammers are always going to be out there to try and make an illegal buck. It's disgusting.
@trinkabelle (432)
•
2 Mar 12
also it's him who will be paying a large phone bill each time you answer, what a foolish little man, maybe this guy is from Africa, it sounds that way, the Nigerians would sell their grandmother to scam someone, i had someone once who wanted to buy a ring from me, Nigerian, he made me a nice offer for it, he told me i had to get a tracking number so i could receive the payment from him, DUH i posted it, but when i got home i tried the tracking number and there was no such person, so i immediately called my post office to hold the ring and NOT send it, they did keep hold of it for me, the ring was very expensive too, worth a lot of money, he called me to see if i had sent the ring, i said no, he asked why so i told him why and then told him i was giving his number and email address to the authorities, he hung up and i never heard from him again, i hate people like that, he almost got something from me, but i was stupid to believe that i needed a tracking number, so if this happens to you, please ignore it, never sell anything unless you get the money first
1 person likes this
@olliekobra1 (1825)
•
26 Jun 12
This doesnt sound good and the chance is the chap is up to no good so i wouldnt even speak to him if he keeps phoning you i would maybe you should possibly look at changing your number. Phone calls like this can be upsetting my family kept recieveing them so we changed our number
@PointlessQuestions (15397)
• United States
2 Mar 12
It's scaring me. I got irate with him yesterday.. yelling at him to stop calling my number and he still kept calling. My daughter programmed it to say "do not answer this" when the phone rings from that number... so I can hit ignore.
