A video of police personnel warning people against picking up calls from numbers starting from ‘140’ is doing the rounds on social media. In the clip, they can be heard saying that these numbers could get your mobile phone and bank account hacked.
The caption of the post read: 140 no. Wale Call pls na receive kare Jay shree ram.
Here’s the link to the above post.
FACT CHECK
NewsMobile fact-checked the posts and found them to be misleading.
In 2020, NewsMobile debunked the same claim when it was shared as that from Mumbai. The official Twitter accounts of the Maharashtra police force during that period informed: “We would like to clarify that numbers starting with +140 are telemarketing calls. Please don’t believe any rumour.”
We would like to clarify that numbers starting with +140 are telemarketing calls. Please don’t believe an any rumour. @DGPMaharashtra @CyberDost #SayNoToFakeNews #StopRumours #StayCyberSafe pic.twitter.com/nxKYqijr9n
— Maharashtra Cyber (@MahaCyber1) July 12, 2020
The image shared in the tweet clarifies that such messages should not be believed and ‘+140’ calls are telemarketing calls. It further advises users to not share any OTP or bank details with any telemarketers.
Googling the keywords ‘140 number scam calls’, we came across multiple reports from 2020 about calls from the channel SonyLiv as part of a publicity gimmick.
A Hindustan Times article, dated July 11, 2020, informs that as part of show promotion, many people got a call from a 140 or 40 number. The call was a pre-recorded message from a person who identified himself as ‘Rishi’. In the recorded voice message, he is supposedly begging for help and stating that he has witnessed a murder and recorded the incident on a mobile phone. The killer was now trying to kill him, the message said.
Following this activity, the Maharashtra police issued its warning:
It has come to our attention that a Sony Liv, a tv channel has used a tactic for the promotion of its new show by calling people and playing a disturbing voice recording. If you receive any such call, please do not panic and create rumours. (1/n)
— Maharashtra Cyber (@MahaCyber1) July 10, 2020
The account further clarified the misinformation around the video of the police personnel.
In any case, and in ALL cases, People should NOT share their confidential banking or personal details or OTP with such callers. (2/n)
— Maharashtra Cyber (@MahaCyber1) July 10, 2020
Hence, the claims that attending a call from a +140 number can lead to emptying your bank account are misleading.
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