Panic spreads in Nigeria over cellphone numbers rumoured to cause death
Oluchi Azubogu took no chances after receiving an ominous text message stirring fear in Nigeria.
The message warned that she would die if she took calls from two listed phone numbers. "I switched off my mobile phone and took no calls at all," the 22-year-old university student said. Quickly she alerted her parents and six friends.
The text-message rumour has been spreading this week through Africa's most populous country: "Beware! You'll die if you take a call from any of these phone numbers: 0802 311 1999 or 0802 222 5999."
Telecom firm VMobile insisted Thursday the messages are merely a hoax, stressing that only one of the alleged "killer numbers" even exists. The other is fictitious.
"This is an absolute hoax and should be treated as such," VMobile spokesman Emeka Opara said in a statement.
Police also urged the public to ignore the rumour, with national police spokesman Chris Olakpe saying authorities are seeking the source of the hoax and investigating whether criminal harm was intended.
Posted by James Russell at July 23, 2004 10:25 PM | Weird
Now, if someone would only spread rumors in Nigeria about sending email...
I don't see why the fact that one of the numbers doesn't exist should be reassuring! Mind you, having been a telefundraiser I think a "dial D for Death" function would be very useful (leave me with an undecided? Ask me to call back later for the 14th time? hehehehehehe..)