I have been called by a number that begins with the prefix 212, who is it?

"I have been called with the prefix 212", "I have been called by a number that begins with 212", "A number with the prefix 212 has called me by WhatsApp"… Hundreds of users have reported in recent weeks having received calls from various numbers prefixed with 212. The number in question appears to be making multiple missed calls with the goal of getting users to call back. But what is really hidden behind these types of calls? We see it.

Be careful with numbers that start with the prefix 212

So is. For approximately three years, hundreds of numbers that begin with the prefix +212 have made calls indiscriminately to users of Spanish origin. According to the Civil Guard, the objective of this type of call is to obtain money through the use of special rate numbers, very similar to the prefix 902 used by certain companies in Spain.

What this type of organized group does is make multiple calls to the same phone number to "force" the user to return the call. Sometimes, the same people in charge send messages by WhatsApp to make the scam even more credible.

It is precisely at this point where the scam is forged: when making a call to a paid number to unregulated countries, the cost per minute can exceed ten euros. In fact, various users claim to have received a phone bill worth 300, 400 and even 500 euros. Yes, you read it right. 500 euros!

twitter.com/guardiacivil/status/891033021029072896

The Civil Guard itself has warned from its official profile on Twitter about these cases. At the moment, the most used prefixes in this type of trick belong to Ghana (prefix 233), Ivory Coast (prefix 225), Nigeria (prefix 234), Albania (prefix 355) and Morocco (prefix 212). The institution itself ensures that the use of telephone lines is totally indiscriminate, so that the numbers may vary from one victim to another. Typically they have some kind of variation in the last four digits. We leave you below with some of the phones that we have been able to collect on the Internet:

• 212682302268
• 212650227684
• 212682642433
• 212618221853
• 212682098081
• 212650418830
• 212767352858
• 212661793189
• 212618139902
• 212682859825
• 212661371316
• 212650459490
• 212618467042

How to block calls with prefix 212 (or prefix 233, 225, 234 or 355)

The easiest way to block these types of numbers is based on using applications such as True Caller for Android or Mr. Number for iOS. The biggest advantage of these applications is that they have a database with hundreds of phone number records reported by other users. If the number in question matches any of the application's records, the call will be automatically blocked.

Another option that we can turn to is based on the native options of iOS and Android. As simple as using the call history and selecting the number we want to block. Then, we will click on Block number to permanently veto the calls.

The way to proceed if we have a landline phone is very similar, although this time we will have to resort to the dial options. In case our phone does not have blocking options, we can always use external call blockers. On Amazon or eBay, these types of devices are around 25 euros.

List of spam numbers identified by tuexpertomovil.com