Ghost of a flea: Telephony for the Devil

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March 31, 2006

Telephony for the Devil

Tim Blair points to reports of "devil calls" in India; his Cell comparison is spot on. Though I think recent precedent suggests more a more material concern for some cell phone users.

Authorities moved on Tuesday to quash panic among mobile phone users in eastern India after a rumour that �devil calls� from certain numbers have led to death and illness. People started turning off their handsets after a rumour swept Orissa state of phones exploding like bombs killing their owners when they answered the calls.

Posted by Ghost of a flea at March 31, 2006 09:22 AM

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Comments

Actually it sounds more like a Ring/Ringu phenom (i.e. watch a stupid video, answer the telephone, and you die).

I always wondered how the dead-girl-ghost would get in touch with people like me, who don't have a landline and don't answer mobile calls from unknown numbers.

Posted by: Chris Taylor at March 31, 2006 11:21 AM

There is definitely a Ringu vibe to the story. I am curious what meaning, if any, might be attached to the 11 and 14 digit numbers.

Posted by: Ghost of a flea at March 31, 2006 12:19 PM

At the risk of being a moonbat... if ten digits is local for Indian phone numbers, would eleven to fourteen be long distance / international dialing? The Devil is a crank-calling foreigner?

Posted by: Chris Taylor at March 31, 2006 04:42 PM