Could this be a cell phone scam?

[star197]

My husband went to a 7-11 convenience type of market. There were two gang-looking guys out front. One said to my husband "My cell phone battery is broken, can I use yours?". My husband said no, but here's some change, use the pay phone. My husband then went in the store, came out and left. He saw the guys approaching other people, and not using the pay phone.

Is there some kind of scam using a cell phone that someone else can get a 'signal' or something off it?

[star197]

Ooops posted in wrong section. WB, can you move this to General Discussion?

[lovesfortune]

interesting.. i haven't heard of anything, but what they were doing sounds fishy.

[WashingtonBay]

I'm not sure the scam was as complicated as trying to 'get a signal off it'... They either wanted to use the phone, or steal it.

[zoel_222]

I'm not sure the scam was as complicated as trying to 'get a signal off it'... They either wanted to use the phone, or steal it.

That's what I was thinking...

[elevenelevenxo]

I had some guy approach me once as I was taking my dogs for a walk outside my apartment asking to use my phone. I told him I didn't have one, but he didn't believe me and continued to bother me. I went inside REAL quick, locked the door, and called my boyfriend....it really scared me. :(

Sounds like what WB said. Either they wanted to use the phone or they wanted to steal it.

[Fork]

I totally agree with WB.

Those guys have to be totally stupid. :p As far as I know, different cell phones use different batteries. How/why would they want your battery?

Sounds like a badly planned robbery.

[star197]

Yeah, it just seemed a little strange. I thought I had heard something on the news once about crooks using scanners to read your cell phone identity, including the number and its unique serial number. Wasn't sure if it was something like that. But you guys are right...they probably weren't doing something that covert. I think I've been watching too many reruns of "24" lol.

[WashingtonBay]

I think I've been watching too many reruns of "24" lol.

OK, then they really aren't gang-bangers at all. One of them is actually a terrorist. Homegrown, but may have gone to some training camps in the middle east. And the other is actually a government mole but he says he's working for the Russians. And you've accidentally gotten ahold of a cell phone that has a secret tracking chip in it, that is being sought by the Chinese, and these terrorists want to trade it for a bomb.

I dunno... maybe you should have just given it to them. Or destroy it immediately. It's only going to bring more trouble. Jack was on his way to break your fingers, but he's been arrested and delayed a few hours. :cheers:

[star197]

ROFL WB - I knew there was something going on!


http://i332.photobucket.com/albums/m351/pepstar197/jack-bauer.jpg