Some business models are more legitimate than others. Have you been called offering a “free” mobile phone based on your suburb? It pays to think rather than simply sign up.
My personal awareness of what appears to be a very dodgy service came about because my wife’s phone got called half a dozen times very rapidly in a short space of time.
The one time she did answer it, she was offered a “free” phone on a contract, but the moment she started asking questions about the offer — she wasn’t genuinely interested but wanted some details — she was hung up on. That’s hardly the model that a legitimate business would be likely to use, simply because if they wanted your business, they’d be upfront about theirs.
It hasn’t stopped the calls, which bear every classical framework of an overseas scam. It’s also feasible that it’s part of an identity theft scam to boot.
Looking around online, there’s a litany of complaints against the number — see the Optus Facebook post here and the Whirlpool thread here and would appear to be connected to an outfit called “Zen Mobile” (who I won’t link, because, sorry, harassment should not equate to a business model or free traffic for that matter).
It’s also worth noting (with thanks to Luke for pointing it out) that the ACCC is currently engaged in an action against Zen Telecom for “false, misleading or deceptive representations during unsolicited calls to consumers by representing that they were acting on behalf of Telstra or a business or company associated with Telstra.”
It doesn’t seem to have slowed them down any.
Or in other words, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. That’s an old story, whether someone’s selling you a TV in a pub or a phone service online.
Image: Vincent_AF