FIDO, IS IT A SCAM?
With due respect to Fido solutions, I had changed to a new number after getting a lot of scam calls. The hunting by the scammers began again just after one week of getting my new number. Most of the numbers are fido registered and appear very local having the same first few digits. I STRONGLY BELIEVE IT"S FIDO THAT ALLOWS THIS TYPE OF SCAM. QUESTIONS IS WHAT THEY GET AFTER DOING THIS SCAM! There could be many reasons here is one---according to me!
HERE IS THE BREAKDOWN:
1. Some calls would come from international scammers like some South African countries. When you call back (need not talk or your phone is received by the other side) you would be shown to have called international call and you would be charged for that. I was charged $29 (CAD) alleging to have called for 15 minutes. When you call them they just read a template with a conclusion that it's compulsory to pay them.
2. I AM STILL A FIDO SOLUTION CUSTOMER BECAUSE I TOOK A DEVICE WITH TWO YEARS PLAN THAT'S HOW I AM TRAPPED>
3. I AM WRITING THIS BECAUSE I AM BORED OF GETTING SCAM CALL>
Hello Ajrup11,
Sorry to hear you've incurred long-distance charges, apparently as a result of these SPAM calls. However, Fido isn't (nor are any of the other mobile providers) complicit with the SCAMs.
As mentioned previously, they tend to target the different mobile providers' customers using the different area code/prefix combinations (see here).
@Ajrup11 wrote:..Most of the numbers are fido registered and appear very local having the same first few digits..
In addition, the spammers/scammers often call using spoofed phone numbers.The spammers/scammers will tend to spoof phone numbers within their target range to make potential victims think the calls are coming from people they might know. Since your area code/prefix is for Fido (unless you ported from another provider), many of the calls will also appear to come from Fido phone numbers. It's called Neighbour spoofing (see here and here). In some instances, the spammers/scammers will use the recipients' own phone numbers to make the calls, called mirroring. Even the RCMP are not immune to being spoofed (see here). The RCMP are not in collusion with the spammers/scammers either. Those are just the phone numbers the spammers/scammers chose to spoof. Unfortunately, there isn't much that can be done to prevent numbers from being spoofed.
I understand it appears like they might be targeting Fido customers, however, none of the providers are immune to the SPAM calls everyone has been receiving. In fact, the problem is broader than solely a Canadian issue -- it's Worldwide (see here).
Unfortunately, until the technology to unmask the true number of spammers/scammers is readily available (not simply the number shown on the caller ID), the only solution currently is to block the numbers on your phone. You should note that blocking the calls only prevents the calls from ringing your phone. It does not prevent the callers from leaving voicemail. There are (at least were) some apps which claimed to also prevent callers from leaving voicemail. They worked by answering and almost simultaneously ending the calls. While those apps do prevent calls from going to voicemail, the calls are also considered 'answered' and therefore count as airtime.
As suggested in the BBB alert, it's best not to answer calls from phone numbers you don't recognise. To further their suggestion, it might also be prudent not to return calls to phone numbers you do not recognise. If the call was important, the caller would have left a message.
Hope this helps 😀
Cheers
Hello HungS,
Welcome to the community!
I understand how frustrating it can be getting all of these SPAM calls. As explained in an earlier post, it's actually rather simple to target customers from a particular provider. All they need is to choose an area code and prefix for their chosen target and sequentially dial those numbers from 0000 to 9999. If the caller wasn't from Fido, then the spammers/scammers weren't likely targeting you specifically.
There have even been instances where customers have ported their phone numbers to a different provider yet still receive SPAM targeted at their previous provider. That could be taken as evidence that the spammers/scammers use the online phone number databases rather than actual mobile provider customer information.
Hope this helps 😀
Cheers
You can follow these steps to check your voicemail from another device or landline @Rick_A:
- Call your Fido phone number from another phone.
- When you hear the voicemail greeting, press #.
- Enter your voicemail access code and press #.
Keep in mind that if you're calling from a non-Canadian number, long distance charges will apply. If you call from another Canadian number, regular roaming charges will apply.
Hope this helps!
Hello Klc7,
Welcome to the community!
Thanks for the information! That is certainly not the usual type of SCAM calls we have seen on here.
Thanks for posting 
Cheers
Hey @Bethlehem ,
I moved your post to this thread as it deals with a similar topic!
Check out the accepted solution for some tips and tricks!
