Phone scam in Thailand - several mention contact with Thai Immigration.

[JimmyJ]

 

   
I brought 2 US phones with me to Thailand. They both still have USA sims in them.

About November 26th I tested one here (Thailand)  by calling the other US phone. 

Rather than my US # showing up on the screen as the incoming # , it showed this phone # - 
060 003 1797.

 

"060 003 1797 belongs to THAILAND and is a landline number. The owner of this phone number lives in Thailand.

                                            
This phone is serviced by TOT Public Company."

https://www.reverse-lookup.co/060-003-1797

 

I have no connection to this # - I had Roaming turned off as well as Mobile Data and was calling with
a US VOIP # using Wifi.

 

I have not yet cancelled my USA carrier and their SIM was still in the phone I used to make call with. They have a Thai carrier as a  Roaming partner in Thailand but as mentioned, I had Roaming turned off.

 

I found I am not alone via a net search:

https://spamcalls.net/us-en/number/0600031797

 

Many others from  different countries encountered this #
while visiting Thailand.
They were  called from this Thai #.
Scroll down and read the posters comments.

 

Interestingly, at least 4 stated that they gave their native country phone # while here only to Thai Immigration.
Same here.

Note that this began about Oct. 30th so it began within the last month.

If that # shows as their own # when calling from inside  Thailand, they would not realize it unless someone they called commented on it.

So it's possible that # shows as theirs if they call from their native country phone while in Thailand.

 

On November 28th about 3 am- 
within 1 minute's time I was called twice by  a USA # I have no connection with and then by the Thai #.
The calls woke me and had hung up by the time I was conscious. 
No messages were left.

 

A net search for the USA # shows several people with multiple addresses and phone #"s.

 

Very disturbing as the # I was testing which now shows as the Thai # when calling out is one I use for all my financial accounts.

 

How are they able to get their # to show as my # when I call out?
This takes it from the usual phone robocall scams to something bigger imo.

 

Wondering if my calls are being monitored by this group (as well as the calls of all the other visitors to Thailand who posted in the linked thread - and possibly countless others who are not aware of the thread).

 

I reluctantly used that phone to call the US 2 days ago.
I asked the person answering what # he sees and he was seeing my US #.

 

So apparently the Thai # only shows as my # when I call out if I'm in Thailand calling another phone that's in Thailand or at least another phone not currently in the US.

 

Got a call/no message left from the Thai # in the early am today.
The call came in within 9 minutes of the time I previously was called.

 

One other issue - I tested 2 Thai SIMs in that phone about 10 days ago.
The SIM allowed me to make voice calls from the phone.

It should have also allowed me to receive 3G data but I wasn't able to receive any.

 

Is it possible that this is preventing me from receiving data - or even worse the  data stream is being diverted to the Thai #?

 

 

[NE1]

Thailand province codes are usually 3 digits ( not counting Bangkok - 02 ).   The 060 number is not a province code in Thailand , it is the code for " True Move VOIP ".....

The codes are here.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_numbers_in_Thailand

 

[JimmyJ]

38 minutes ago, NE1 said:

Thailand province codes are usually 3 digits ( not counting Bangkok - 02 ).   The 060 number is not a province code in Thailand , it is the code for " True Move VOIP ".....

The codes are here.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_numbers_in_Thailand

 

 

Phone scammers usually use VOIP #'s so this makes much more sense than it being a landline as 1 website stated.

[metempsychotic]

The Thai number you are seeing is likely the number of a VOIP exit node.

 

Not sure where the whole scam part comes in. VoIP services can be tricky to configure to show a correct originating number and different carriers may pass that information on or not. 

 

I really can't see the scam here. 

[Lamkyong]

so sorry but you have totally lost me on that one along i suspect with 99 pc of others  have you really not got more important aspects of your life to study for instance hows your health

[JimmyJ]

1 hour ago, metempsychotic said:

The Thai number you are seeing is likely the number of a VOIP exit node.

 

Not sure where the whole scam part comes in. VoIP services can be tricky to configure to show a correct originating number and different carriers may pass that information on or not. 

 

I really can't see the scam here. 

Why is the exit node calling me at 3 am?

 

Why is the exit node seemingly connected to a US phone # which called me twice followed by the exit node within the space of 1 minute, at 3 am?

 

Did you follow the link provided to see comments by numerous others being called by the exit node?

 

I hope you are correct - it would be reassuring.

[JimmyJ]

12 hours ago, metempsychotic said:

 

 

Not sure where the whole scam part comes in. 

By "scam" I was referring to/including robo calls/sales calls.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[manchega]

I like to answer with Thai accent Halloooo, then they say Hallloooo, and I say Halllooo, i keep that going for a while, unless I recognise the caller

[metempsychotic]

20 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

Why is the exit node calling me at 3 am?

 

Why is the exit node seemingly connected to a US phone # which called me twice followed by the exit node within the space of 1 minute, at 3 am?

 

Did you follow the link provided to see comments by numerous others being called by the exit node?

 

I hope you are correct - it would be reassuring.

im really not sure what the story is, but often voip calls to thailand from abroad ring as a thai number.

it is entirely possible if someone is calling the us voip number from abroad during the day it would ring at 3am on your phone here and show up as a thai incoming.

 

i looked at the link yes, and there really isn't enough info there to offer an opinion on that but it is odd.

perhaps talk to your voip provider

[Ketyo]

Its not a scam its just how the telephone company is routing the calls. It has happened to me in several countries. A number coming up on the receiver's handsets that seem to indicate I am in a weird town in their country when I am not.

[Just Weird]

9 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

 

By "scam" I was referring to/including robo calls/sales calls.

So, a completely misleading topic title in which there is no evidence of a scam whatsoever, just some issues caused by your use your US SIM here. 

 

Now you know not to pay any attention to what "reverse-lookup" says!

[LukKrueng]

Many carriers around the world are using VoIP to connect overseas calls and when they do hardly ever you see the actual originating number on the receiving phone. Most calls I get from out of Thailand show no Id or a local caller I'd, but if you try calling back to this number you can't (if trying to return a missed call). 

[CharlieH]

Its simply a routing number nothing sinister.

 

As for your "roaming" that only enables you to make calls nothing to do with receiving them. If you are on the partner network you will recieve calls.

 

It could be any marketing company etc from the states and got routed to you here

 

Dismiss it, nothing to worry about, just the way the system operates.

[Just Weird]

21 hours ago, JimmyJ said:

 

Phone scammers usually use VOIP #'s so this makes much more sense than it being a landline as 1 website stated.

Phone scammers always speak, so that doesn't make any sense.   They don't hang up or not speak, that would defeat the object of the exercise!

[allane]

I occasionally receive prerecorded "junk phone calls", for lack of a better term.  While I have never listened to the spiel, I suppose that if I listened to the end, it would say "If you would like to know more, press 1", and if I did that a person would come on to try to close the sale.

[Caldera]

Much ado about nothing!

[jimn]

What a waste of 2 minutes that was. You are worrying about absolutely nothing. You have a conspiracy theory complex lol

[JimmyJ]

Thanks to all who offered explanations. 

 

A first for me. Glad it's apparently nothing.