BT and Vodafone confused on mobile phone scare

BT and Vodafone are being accused of confusing customers with conflicting statements on a mobile phone scam hitting the UK.

A chain email, which has spread rapidly around the British business community over the past two weeks, claims crooks posing as mobile phone technicians are calling users and asking them to dial '9 - 0 - #' to help with a test. However, inputting this sequence and hanging up supposedly allows the crooks to make calls anywhere in the world and charge them to the owner of the handset.

Last week BT called the email warning "absolute rubbish", but Silicon.com has since learnt that customer support staff at BT and Vodafone have told users they should be careful if they receive such a call.

An IT director at a large international firm said he was told analogue phone networks are at risk, meaning the scam would not be possible on the all-digital networks run by One2One and Orange. His company, together with a number of firms in the City, and at least one of the big five accountancy firms, have since issued warnings to staff, telling them to look out for the fraudsters.

However, a spokeswoman for Vodafone, the UK's largest mobile network operator, said: "We've looked into this, carrying out a substantial investigation into the claim. But we believe that what the email says isn't possible, given the way the mobile networks are set up."

A spokesman for BT, which has been linked to the email after staff at its BT Mobile unit allegedly admitted there is a potential problem, said: "Our unequivocal view on this is that it's nonsense. It's just a case of scaremongering and that's what customers should be told."

Cellnet said it has looked at both its analogue and digital networks and come to the same conclusion.

However, users remain in the dark over which statements to believe. If you have been given advice about this problem or have been a victim of the fraud, Silicon.com would like to hear from you. Just email us at editorial@silicon.com.

Additional reporting by Sally Watson.