- Suspicious
Suspicious call from 03 9022 1918 (0390221918) with caller probing about payment methods during energy survey. Community report flags personal info request tactic.
Personal Information Request Reports for 03 9022 1918
One contributor has flagged a call from 03 9022 1918 (also written as 0390221918) for suspicious behaviour involving requests for personal financial information. The caller posed as conducting an energy survey but quickly shifted to probing questions about how the recipient pays their bills, raising immediate red flags that prompted the contributor to disconnect.
This tactic of using a legitimate-sounding pretext like an energy survey to establish contact, then pivoting to questions about payment methods, is a known approach used to gather information for identity theft or financial fraud. The contributor's instinct to hang up when the conversation felt "dodgy" was the right call.
What the Caller from 03 9022 1918 Said
The contributor reported that the caller initially claimed to be conducting an energy survey. However, once the conversation began, the focus quickly shifted away from energy-related questions to more personal financial territory. Specifically, the caller started asking detailed questions about how the recipient pays their bills and manages their energy account payments.
This pattern of gaining trust through a seemingly routine survey before pivoting to financial probing is a deliberate social engineering tactic. The contributor noted the conversation felt "dodgy" enough to warrant hanging up immediately, which prevented any personal or financial information from being shared.
Call Details and Allocation
The call to 03 9022 1918 came through a local service number based in Victoria, allocated to NetSIP Pty Ltd. This type of allocation makes the number appear more legitimate and local, which can increase the likelihood recipients will answer. The use of a local Victorian number combined with a plausible pretext (energy survey) suggests deliberate effort to appear trustworthy before attempting to extract sensitive information.
What to Do If You Receive a Call from 03 9022 1918
If 03 9022 1918 calls you with a survey or similar pretext:
- Do not: Answer questions about how you pay your bills, your payment methods, bank details, or other financial information
- Do not: Provide account numbers, dates of birth, or other identifying information based on unsolicited calls
- Do: Hang up immediately if the caller pivots from their stated purpose to personal or financial questions
- Do: Contact your energy provider directly using the phone number on your bill to verify any legitimate surveys
- Do: Block the number if you receive further calls from 0390221918
- Do: Trust your instincts - if a call feels suspicious, ending it is always the safe choice
How to Report 03 9022 1918
If you receive a suspicious call from this number, you can report it to Australian authorities and contribute to community awareness:
- Scamwatch: Report to the ACCC's scam reporting service at scamwatch.gov.au
- ACMA: Report unwanted calls to the Australian Communications and Media Authority at acma.gov.au
- Do Not Call Register: Check if the number is registered at donotcall.gov.au and lodge a complaint if you believe it's breaching the register
- Reverseau: Add your own report about 03 9022 1918 to help other Australians identify this number
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What Our Users Reviewed
Bloke called about energy survey, started probing about how I pay, felt dodgy so I hung up
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WRITE A REVIEWFrequently Asked Questions
Why would a caller ask about my energy bill payment method?
Callers using personal information request tactics often pose as conducting surveys or representing utility companies to gain your trust before asking financial questions. This is a social engineering tactic - once you reveal how you pay your bills, they gather information that can be used for identity theft or fraud. If 03 9022 1918 or any caller asks this, it's a red flag to hang up immediately.
Is 03 9022 1918 a legitimate energy company number?
The contributor's report about 0390221918 indicates it's being used for suspicious contact with financial probing disguised as a survey. If you need to contact your energy provider, use the number on your official bill rather than returning a call to 03 9022 1918, as scammers can spoof caller ID to appear legitimate.
What should I do if 03 9022 1918 calls and I already answered?
If you've already spoken to 0390221918 and provided any personal or financial information, monitor your accounts closely for suspicious activity. Change passwords for any accounts you use to pay bills. Consider contacting your bank or energy provider directly to verify your account security. Block 03 9022 1918 going forward and report it to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au.
Can scammers really spoof a local Victorian number like 03 9022 1918?
Yes, caller ID spoofing is common. Scammers deliberately use local numbers like 03 9022 1918 (allocated to Victoria) to make calls appear more legitimate and increase the likelihood you'll answer. Never assume a call is legitimate based on the number format - always verify by contacting the organisation directly using a number you find independently.
What's the difference between a real energy survey and a scam?
Real utility companies rarely call unsolicited to conduct surveys that require payment method details. If someone claiming to represent your energy provider calls, end the call and contact your provider directly using the number on your bill. The caller from 03 9022 1918 shifted from survey questions to financial probing, which is a clear scam indicator.
Should I report this to the police or just Scamwatch?
For calls like the one from 0390221918 involving personal information requests, report to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) and ACMA (acma.gov.au) first - they specialise in these cases. Police are usually involved only if you've lost money or suffered identity theft. Report to Reverseau as well so other Australians can see that 03 9022 1918 has been flagged for this behaviour.