Weird phone calls, possible pranks? Not sure what to do

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FourPointedFreak

Senior Member
Aug 19, 2013
303
93
Tampa
This may be totally irrelevant to the thread, not sure where else to put it.

It started on 3/11/14, I got a phone call from an 813-408-???? number. A boston sounding man pretending to be from a local pizza joint, saying I ordered 3 pizzas and my card I gave was declined and needed a new card. I figured it was a scam to take my info because I (and no one in my household) had ever ordered from this place). The man sounded scripted, pre-recorded or perhaps a mobile app just messing with me. Anytime I spoke, his speaking stopped and it/he wouldn't answer me when I spoke. I hung up, after a few minutes, I called back. I didn't get an answer both times I called back, just a man's voicemail for his home business.

Later, I got a call from another 813-408-???? number, but different from the first. It was a man claiming I was messaging his girlfriend on Facebook. His responses also sounded scripted or like recordings from an app. I assumed it was another prank, so I said little and hungup. I immediately called the number back and the man sounded confused and swore he didn't call me.

I thought these calls were weird because my number is also an 813-408-????.

Later in the same day, I was playing xbox with a friend of mine. My phone rang from his number, but he swore he wasn't calling me. Just after that, his phone rang from my number, but my phone wasn't calling him.

The next day, 03/12/14, I got a call from the same friend. The phone showed his name and correct number (i have it memorized). I answered and it was a female voice, claiming I was talking to her boyfriend on Facebook. Her voice ALSO seeming scripted or recorded. My buddy wasn't even near his phone, he was playing softball and swore he wasn't doing anything.

Not sure what I need to do to get this to stop. Don't know if changing my number will help or not and would prefer not to do that.

If it matters: I am running Cyanogenmod 11, up-to-date nightly's. I've been on Cyanogenmod as long as it's been available for the Nexus 5. It's a black 16GB US model and i'm on AT&T. I've never had anything like this happen before.

Faster version: I got a weird call from an unknown number from a recording or app. A second weird call from a different number comes in, same weird recording conversation and scripting. Illegitimate calls to and from my phone occur. Illegitimate call from a friend's phone that he didn't send. I have no problem sending or receiving calls or texts, nothing else seems to be off. I'm on CM11 3/12/14 nightly.

Any ideas?
 

Stealyourface

Senior Member
Oct 19, 2007
648
148
VA Beach
Do you have a common friend between you and your other friends? Somebody is messing with you. And must be close enough to know y'all numbers. It's very easy to spoof a number to make it seem like somebody else is calling.
 
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mikeius89

Senior Member
Sep 21, 2013
121
37
battle creek, mi
Also take note that many area codes like 419 817 737 ect....will get all your info within 3 secs if its a hacker lol. There's a huge list online just Google it. Hope that helps out. If not then get Mr. Number. You can block all numbers and voicemails texts.....except your contacts list

Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
 
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flightsimmer

Senior Member
Oct 6, 2011
191
66
St. Louis, MO
I'm betting someone is playing a real crappy prank on you. A friend of mine showed me this app one time that would allow you to enter any "from" number of your choosing with a pre-recorded prank attached. Basically the app would prank call whoever you chose with the fake or made up number showing up in the caller ID. When the call comes in, it sounds super convincing, down to the voice of the guy who's threatening to kick your butt for messing with his girlfriend. What you don't know, is that app is also recording your voice responses so whoever is pranking you gets to hear a recording of the entire call, similar to a phone prank done by a radio station. I would just listen for the familiar details and just hang up when you realize its the prankster. They'll give up eventually and if they know you will probably come clean at some point.
 
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xda_fanboy

Senior Member
Jan 19, 2009
80
15
It's not a prank. It's scammy phishing robo-calls. I get them infrequently. Typically the "you have won a free cruise" baloney. However the pizza call is another known angle. For me it's usually one of 3 numbers. A 1 877 number, a random US number and a number that is almost identical to my own phone number.

Just get a blocking app or don't answer the call if you don't recognise the number. If it is a valid call, the caller will leave you a voicemail detailing why they were legitimately calling you in the first place. The robocall will just disconnect once it hits your voicemail.

Sorry, I should update that the above was in regards to the pizza call. The Facebook call is a prank - just search "Don't Message My Girlfriend".
 
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howard bamber

Senior Member
Jun 4, 2012
1,408
183
Southport
I'm in the UK but when I Skype my wife in LA its a local LA number. Freaked her first time. You got no idea where calls come from these days. I use a call block. Robot call centers after ambulance chasing buisness etc are big here. Not your phone, or rom and don't let it rent space in your head. Block n move on

Sent by mobile telephone.
 
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Ben36

Senior Member
Jun 8, 2012
8,254
2,868
If it's anything like the uk if you read the small print of your contact (especially if it's like a retail shop - carphone warehouse, phones4u etc over here) it actually says we will give your number out to these annoying marketing company's and there's nothing you can do about it if you want the contract!! (which is why their contacts are normally better than direct from the provider)


Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
 
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FourPointedFreak

Senior Member
Aug 19, 2013
303
93
Tampa
Well, I can tell the calls I received were all similar sounding in their responses, so I did hang up. I figured it was a prank app or something along those lines. I just ended up hanging up the call. I can block the numbers I have gotten, I'm just getting a lot of them.

I guess I just have to rely on a voicemail from a legitimate caller.

Thanks for all the insight.
 

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  • 1
    Do you have a common friend between you and your other friends? Somebody is messing with you. And must be close enough to know y'all numbers. It's very easy to spoof a number to make it seem like somebody else is calling.
    1
    Also take note that many area codes like 419 817 737 ect....will get all your info within 3 secs if its a hacker lol. There's a huge list online just Google it. Hope that helps out. If not then get Mr. Number. You can block all numbers and voicemails texts.....except your contacts list

    Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
    1
    I'm betting someone is playing a real crappy prank on you. A friend of mine showed me this app one time that would allow you to enter any "from" number of your choosing with a pre-recorded prank attached. Basically the app would prank call whoever you chose with the fake or made up number showing up in the caller ID. When the call comes in, it sounds super convincing, down to the voice of the guy who's threatening to kick your butt for messing with his girlfriend. What you don't know, is that app is also recording your voice responses so whoever is pranking you gets to hear a recording of the entire call, similar to a phone prank done by a radio station. I would just listen for the familiar details and just hang up when you realize its the prankster. They'll give up eventually and if they know you will probably come clean at some point.
    1
    It's not a prank. It's scammy phishing robo-calls. I get them infrequently. Typically the "you have won a free cruise" baloney. However the pizza call is another known angle. For me it's usually one of 3 numbers. A 1 877 number, a random US number and a number that is almost identical to my own phone number.

    Just get a blocking app or don't answer the call if you don't recognise the number. If it is a valid call, the caller will leave you a voicemail detailing why they were legitimately calling you in the first place. The robocall will just disconnect once it hits your voicemail.

    Sorry, I should update that the above was in regards to the pizza call. The Facebook call is a prank - just search "Don't Message My Girlfriend".
    1
    I'm in the UK but when I Skype my wife in LA its a local LA number. Freaked her first time. You got no idea where calls come from these days. I use a call block. Robot call centers after ambulance chasing buisness etc are big here. Not your phone, or rom and don't let it rent space in your head. Block n move on

    Sent by mobile telephone.