topic Re: Scam call Three Smarty merge SIM deactivate in Network

Scam call Three Smarty merge SIM deactivate

AKime1 — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 11:06:10 GMT

I got a call today claiming it was from Three network and that Three have joined with Smarty. They said my SIM card will be deactivated because of this. I already know Smarty is on the Three network so I immediately thought this is suspicious. Also, they didn't even call me on my Three number. They called on my Lebara number. When I asked the person on the phone why she doesn't know my Three number, she deflected the question and asked me to confirm my number, at which point I hung up.

This is their number:

+44 01*********

I'm suspecting a scam.

Re: Scam call Three Smarty merge SIM deactivate

MZone — Sat, 16 Nov 2024 14:32:39 GMT

Three don’t call out on 01/02/03 numbers so please report these calls using the advice on 3’s Fraud to watch out for page.

Re: Scam call Three Smarty merge SIM deactivate

JonathanB — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 11:15:27 GMT

Hi @AKime1,

Yes definitely sounds like a scam. Smarty has always been a service owned by Three, and there's no plans to stop that service at the moment. I expect that if that were to change we'd get in touch with either your Smarty SIM, or the email you have registered with them, and I doubt we'd announce this by cold calling customers, contractual changes tend to be announced by letter, email or text to ensure that all important info and options are communicated clearly.

I've edited out the number mentioned, as these are generally spoof calls, the scammers won't really be calling from that number, and it's most likely owned by an unsuspecting person or business. There's more info on the subject of spoofing, and how to report spam/scam calls on the link @MZone shared on their reply.

Thanks,
Jonathan

Re: Scam call Three Smarty merge SIM deactivate

Gigi7 — Wed, 02 Jul 2025 09:33:33 GMT

Received a phone call from a person claiming to be from SIM card centre from three stating my SIM card will be deactivated because three is joining with Vodafone and I’ll receive a new SIM card tomorrow, asked me for security checks to tell them my email, which made no sense because three should have it as they do the security checks always by sending me a one time passcode for security checks, I told him you should have that. He said no I need to confirm it to him to pass my security check, in which I said I won’t be doing that because he should know it and he should be sending me the code there to verify me. In which he said let me get a manager and called someone over to which I hung up.

Re: Scam call Three Smarty merge SIM deactivate

JonathanB — Thu, 03 Jul 2025 10:04:30 GMT

Hi @Gigi7,

Sorry to hear this. Yes definitely a scam, you can find advice on how to report them on our Fraud to watch out for page.

Thanks,
Jonathan

Re: Scam call Three Smarty merge SIM deactivate

AOBez — Tue, 11 Nov 2025 14:14:42 GMT

I just had the same call saying my sim will be deactivated in 48hr and they’ll send me a new one tomorrow because Three have merged with Vodafone.
She put the phone down when I asked why they haven’t emailed notification with more than 48hr notice.