Transcript
The Telecommunications Commission in Solomon Islands says it is monitoring an international scam targeting mobile phone users in the area.
The Commission says the hoax involves a text message designed to obtain confidential information, such as bank account details.
A spokesperson for the Commission, Wilson Leguvaka, told Amelia Langford that people could face costly international charges if they call the number provided in the text message.
WILSON LEGUVAKA: At the moment we have messages just appearing from the cellphones, it is very much like a hoax. People are using other devices probably namely like a blackbox and they are able to call any number randomly and then these messages appear on the mobile phones. That's basically what it is so at the moment the Telecommunications Commission is monitoring the current situation. If people do respond to these calls then they are likely to be charged for this type of [international] call.
AMELIA LANGFORD: And tell me, what does it actually say in this hoax message?
WL: It sort of varies but some of the messages would be that you know, 'you have got a call from this number'. The number would have some prefix of another country code. They would just generally say 'can you call this number back' - that's very much like the typical message that would appear.
AL: So the commission is monitoring the situation and telling mobile users don't ring that number back?
WL: Correct. Don't respond to such messages. I think that is the key thing.
Wilson Leguvaka says people who receive the hoax messages should report them to their mobile network operator.
