From time to time a Thai friend sends an SMS message written in Thai asking that I call back. I use AIS, he uses DTAC.  No problem. I know his number and his name appears with the message and I know his prepaid balance often evaporates quickly.

 

A few times recently I've received a message in English;  

Please call back 098######. Thank you.

 

 

 

The message is worded exactly the same each time, but the telephone number changes from one message to the next. The last two started 098 and 091.

 

Since I don't recognize the number I never call back and there's no follow up message or call from that number.

 

I assume this is some advertising ploy or phishing attempt. Anyone else get similar messages? Ever called back??

One good advice : match your REAL  friends in the phone's contact list with their respective numbers.

 

So now when you receive a call , you immediately know if it's afriend from your list or not.

 

Rule one : Never pick up on an unwanted call/

Rule one ? WHY ? 

A friend got a similar sms and when he called it back it was from someone who had found his wallet with his business card and number in it but had no credit. That one call saved him heaps of heartache !

Following your advice he would never have seen his wallet again.

Another time the wife had had her phone and bag nicked and used another phone from someone she didn't know to get me to call their phone rather than use their credit. 

Rule one ? WHY ? 

A friend got a similar sms and when he called it back it was from someone who had found his wallet with his business card and number in it but had no credit. That one call saved him heaps of heartache !

Following your advice he would never have seen his wallet again.

Another time the wife had had her phone and bag nicked and used another phone from someone she didn't know to get me to call their phone rather than use their credit. 

 

I do sort of wonder who it would be, but over a few months I've received the same message in English from different numbers. Not sure if the phone companies  have a standard "call me" message procedure, but would assume they would send out a message in Thai, as DTAC does for my friend or Thai & English.

 

"... used another phone from someone she didn't know to get me to call their phone rather than use their credit. "

 

Have had that happen a few times (not the phone stolen part but someone using a borrowed phone), but again the message was the standard one written in Thai.

 

I think of  it in terms of emails that you get asking you to reply one way or another ... almost always a bad idea. And no one has ever said anything to me like "Why didn't you call me back?" or "Didn't you get my message?"

Do you answer a call on your phone when you don't know the number ? Same thing. Ignoring them is paranoia

Common sense is needed here. If one had lost their wallet or whatever and didn't pick up when a strange number was calling, that person might be a few cents short. However when there are no emergencies in hand, just answering those you want and ignoring the spam is more logical for those whose life is too short.

I simply have a greeting that says very clearly "leave a voicemail, or email me at...." So there's my way of not answering unknown numbers. Please call back? Sure - explain why.....

I simply have a greeting that says very clearly "leave a voicemail, or email me at...." So there's my way of not answering unknown numbers. Please call back? Sure - explain why.....

 

Yes, of course, I get calls from people who mis-dial the number. Assuming we can understand each other we can figure that out.

 

But I'm getting  SMS messages. I can't give them a greeting that says anything unless I either call them back or send an SMS. I don't acknowledge whacko emails asking me to contact the sender or offering to remove me from their mailing list if I just click on the pretty link they've included. I figure the same precaution is reasonable with SMS messages from phone numbers I don't know and/or from someone who can't include his/her name in the message.

 

If they could take the time to write an SMS message in English they could include the name of the person sending the message, especially if it involved the urgent need to contact me from someone I know.

Don't lose your sleep over unknown callers or cryptic SMS.

If they have something to tell you, they will either call again or finally write a SMS containing the proper information.