Via Newstime Africa: "Kenyan officials have moved to quell growing hysteria sparked by rumour[s] that a ghostly red number was appearing on mobile phones and killing people. The rumours swept like wildfire among the residents in the capital, Nairobi and other major towns on Tuesday night, with many forwarding the stories to their friends, families and colleagues via text messages, warning them not to receive calls which will appear in a red colour."
The Communications Commission of Kenya issued a press release today stating, in part:
Upon analysis of the messages, the Commission has established the warnings are a hoax generated by unscrupulous people bent on causing fear and despondency among members of the public. The listed numbers are non-existent as mobile, fixed or international lines. In addition, the alleged haemorrhage due to high frequency has no technical basis whatsoever. The Commission, therefore, wishes to urge the public to ignore these messages and go about their business without any fear. The public is also advised to avoid fuelling the fear by transmitting the said messages to friends and family members.
The hoax is actually several years old, a simpler version of it having first appeared in Nigeria in July 2004. A variant warning specifically of phone calls from "red numbers" first surfaced in Pakistan in 2007, subsequently migrating throughout the Middle East, Asia, and finally back to the African continent.
A similar rumor erupted in Egypt last year claiming that at least one person had suffered a brain hemorrhage and died after receiving a mysterious text message from "unknown foreign quarters."
To repeat what has been stated by numerous government agencies and telecom experts, these rumors have zero basis in fact.
Read more:
• 'Death Calls' - 'Killer Phone Number' Warnings
• 'Brain Haemorrhage' SMS Causes Panic in Kenya
• Mobile Phone Users in Kenya Urged to Ignore Death Messages
• CCK Assures Public Over Mobile Phone Hoax
• State Dismisses 'Death Call' SMS Alerts as Hoax
• Statement from Communications Commission of Kenya
Comments
as God fearing peaple we should not be intamidated by these rumours..
why do kenyans get frightened over small things.these romours have no base.can those spreading rumours just be specific and bring forth the names of all individuals who died as a result of this?
This is just mere fabrication!people have faith in God and stop panicking!
Maze nilifikiria dracula amemesea mi masaa ya kubamba!. he he!
This is just ridiculous!
I almost switched off my phone,who on earth cannot say no to death?i believe the key guys behind this fearful romours shud be punished. l thank cck for coming to our rescue.
its true it happen in tanzania yesterday
jini hakuna ki2 kama hicho ndugu yangu,,ikingekuwepo now it culd be the hot topic kwenye vyombo vya habari
imetangazwa sana clouds fm leo asubuhi na watu wamepokea sms hizo tayari
I received text sms this morning warning me about that the same situation, I am in Tanzania and the sms fuels so fast! it is kind of no-sense that aims at frustruating people who believe in everything with no analysis!
Aaaaakh sasa kama mtu anatumia cm ya tochi hiyo rang nyekundu itaonekana vipi? Jamani lets come 2 our senses na tucdanganyike na mambo kama hizi, this is not the first tym 2 hear smthng lyk that, easy easy people, stop panicng.
Aise! Tumwombe Mungu hizi ni nguvu za giza hizo red call hazithibitiki kiteknolojia
Same Rumor is currently spreading in India also. Interestingly the numbers mentioned here are also same……….
dear friends…
its 100% true.
Assam, a state in india in fully affected… 6 peoples died while many are in serious condition… the call from these numbers make the display red… when u receive such calls a high frequency sound wave makes your brain damage… blood comes out immidtly from nose as wel as ears… so people beware…. one of my very good friends sufferd this… he’s fine now…. its dangerous….
Its the fault of pakistanis .. why cant US just nuke them and get rid of the prob once and for all?
Who knows, maybe that’s why the Kenyans always run so fast in the Marathons!
I just got a similar text on my phone, i think this killer phone call thing is back, someone should stop these skinheads who are trying to scare the hell out of innocent Kenyans.