- Spam
- Legit
- Suspicious
- Scam
- Uncertain
02 8358 5770 (0283585770): Multiple reports of fake council survey calls impersonating NSW councils like Macquarie, Wollondilly, and Willoughby to collect personal information.
Council Impersonation Reports for 02 8358 5770
Community reports for 02 8358 5770 (also written as 0283585770) reveal a pattern of impersonation targeting NSW residents. Five contributors have specifically identified callers claiming affiliation with local councils including Macquarie Council, Wollondilly Council, and Willoughby Council. The scam involves unsolicited survey calls designed to appear legitimate while extracting personal information through seemingly innocent questions.
What makes reports about 0283585770 particularly concerning is the geographic mismatch. One contributor reported receiving a call from 02 8358 5770 claiming to represent Macquarie Council, despite living in a different area. Another report detailed callers using multiple council names within the same campaign, suggesting organised misrepresentation rather than genuine local government surveys.
What Callers from 02 8358 5770 Claim
Contributors who answered calls from 02 8358 5770 report callers introducing themselves as conducting council surveys on various topics. Reported survey subjects include pet ownership questions and general council satisfaction questions. The callers typically establish credibility by naming specific councils and asking seemingly routine questions to lower a recipient's guard before requesting personal details.
One contributor noted that calls from 02 8358 5770 claiming to represent a council felt suspicious from the start, prompting immediate disconnection and blocking. Another report describes a caller asking about a broken hearing aid with unclear purpose, suggesting the survey premise may be a pretext for verifying active contact information. The pattern across multiple reports about this number indicates a deliberate strategy of impersonation rather than legitimate survey work.
Call Patterns and Timing
Reports of 02 8358 5770 show persistent contact attempts across various times. Several contributors documented calls at evening hours including 8 PM on weekdays and 7:55 PM calls, typical of unsolicited contact when people are home. One contributor reported receiving two calls from this number at 4:27 PM and 7:03 PM on the same day with no voicemail left either time. Another noted calls arriving at the same time daily without leaving messages, suggesting automated dialling systems.
The call frequency intensifies the scam characteristic. Reports include single-second calls with no message, repeated calls across consecutive days, and coordinated SMS messages preceding phone contact. One contributor received an SMS notification claiming Central Coast Council would call from this number, despite having no connection to that area, confirming advance coordination of the impersonation attempt.
What to Do If You Receive a Call from 02 8358 5770
If 02 8358 5770 calls you claiming to represent a council:
- Do not: Answer questions about personal details, pet ownership, or financial information. Do not confirm your full name, address, or contact details. Do not return the call if you miss it.
- Do: Hang up immediately. Block the number 02 8358 5770 on your phone. If the caller claims to represent a specific council, contact that council directly using the phone number from their official website to verify.
- Verify independently: Legitimate councils do not conduct unsolicited surveys requesting personal information by phone. If you wish to verify, visit the council's official website and call them directly using the published contact number.
What to Do If You Receive an SMS from 02 8358 5770
If you receive an SMS from 0283585770 claiming a council will call you:
- Do not: Reply to the message. Do not click any links in the SMS. Do not expect a legitimate follow-up call.
- Do: Delete the message immediately. Block the number 02 8358 5770. Report the SMS as spam to your mobile provider and to the ACMA.
How to Report 02 8358 5770
Contributors can report calls from 02 8358 5770 through multiple Australian government and regulatory channels:
- Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) - Report the scam details and council names being used. Scamwatch tracks impersonation patterns and publishes warnings.
- ACMA (acma.gov.au) - File a complaint about unsolicited calls and SMS messages from this number. ACMA investigates telecommunications fraud and can action repeat offenders.
- Do Not Call Register (donotcall.gov.au) - Register to opt out of telemarketing calls, though this number may ignore the register given its scam nature.
- ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au) - If you provided any personal information, report the incident to help authorities track data misuse.
- Your local council - Contact the specific council being impersonated to alert them their name is being used fraudulently.
- Reverseau - Contribute your experience to help other Australians identify and avoid 02 8358 5770.
Help others by sharing your experience with (02) 8358 5770!
WRITE A REVIEWRatings Distribution
What Our Users Reviewed
Fake council survey call, woke me up at night
Central Coast Council texted warning about an incoming call
Claimed to be from Macquarie Council doing a survey, I don't live there
Rang for a second, no message left
Claimed to be conducting a council survey but felt like a scam, hung up and blocked
Fake council survey about pets, should hang up and block
Claimed to be doing a council survey, hung up
Seems to be a legit company doing customer satisfaction surveys for local councils, mainly in NSW
Two calls 4:27 PM and 7:03 PM, no voicemail either time, suspicious
Caller said something about a broken hearing aid but wasn't clear about why
Got a message saying I'd get a call from this number about council, no connection to Newcastle, seems like a scam
Calls at same time every day, never leave a message
Scammer using various council names to mislead, identified as Wollondilly and Willoughby Councils
NSW council from Chatswood doing a brief survey, called at 8 PM on weekday during dinner, likely wrong number
Called twice, once yesterday once today at 7:55 PM, no message either time
Marketing call during dinner, just hung up
Missed call but no message left.
Missed call from unknown number, no voicemail, deleted it
A research company on behalf of Willoughby City Council.
Automated survey from research company on behalf of Willoughby City Council
Help others by sharing your experience with (02) 8358 5770!
WRITE A REVIEWFrequently Asked Questions
Is 02 8358 5770 a legitimate council survey number?
No. While one report described a potentially legitimate survey company operating for councils in NSW, the overwhelming majority of reports about 02 8358 5770 indicate impersonation scams. Multiple contributors confirmed they do not live in the councils being named by callers from this number. Legitimate councils verify your location before surveys and do not use high-pressure or disguised contact methods. If 02 8358 5770 claims to represent a specific council, hang up and call that council directly using their official website number to verify.
What specific councils has 0283585770 impersonated?
Community reports document 0283585770 impersonating Macquarie Council, Wollondilly Council, Willoughby Council, and Newcastle City Council. One contributor received an SMS notification claiming Central Coast Council would call from this number despite having no connection to that area. This pattern of multiple council names being used by the same number confirms organised impersonation rather than legitimate survey activity.
What information do callers from 02 8358 5770 try to collect?
Callers from 02 8358 5770 use survey pretexts to extract personal information. Reported survey topics include pet ownership (which can verify active residential occupancy) and general council satisfaction questions. These seemingly innocent questions are designed to build rapport and get you talking before requests for more sensitive details. One report mentioned unclear questions about a broken hearing aid, suggesting verification of personal status or dependency information.
What time of day does 0283585770 call?
Reports of calls from 0283585770 show activity across multiple times including evening hours (7:55 PM, 8 PM, 7:03 PM) on weekdays during dinner time. Contributors also documented same-time recurring calls (one person received calls at the same time daily) and early morning calls (around 5-6 AM). The varied timing suggests automated dialling systems attempting to maximise contact probability.
Should I answer or call back 02 8358 5770?
No. Do not answer calls from 02 8358 5770, and do not return the call if you miss it. Contributors who answered and engaged with callers from this number reported high-pressure tactics and impersonation. Let the call go to voicemail if it arrives, block the number immediately, and do not attempt to verify the caller by ringing back the number they called from. Instead, if you want to verify a council claim, look up the council's number independently and call them directly.
How do I block 02 8358 5770 on my phone?
Most smartphones allow you to block numbers through your phone's settings. On iPhone, open the contact for 02 8358 5770 (or recent call list), select 'Block this Caller' or 'Add to Blocked Contacts'. On Android, open your Phone app, find the call or contact for 0283585770, tap the three dots or options menu, and select 'Block number'. Additionally, enable 'Filter unknown senders' or similar features in your messaging app to catch SMS messages from this number like the ones some contributors received.