Widespread panic over mobile phone death threat

Karachi: Mobile phone providers have hurriedly moved to calm subscribers after a widespread prank warned a deadly virus was being transmitted from phone to phone across the country warning people they would die if they answered the call.

"Do not answer any call from a four digit number. It's a virus which has a frequency more than your ear can hear. It will affect your brain and put you to death, be careful please. The number is 0099149," the short service message warned.

In a prank probably inspired by the hit Hollywood movie, The Ring in which people die within a week after watching a video, the prankster warned users that a deadly virus transmitted through phones had killed 20 people.

Cell phone users in Karachi started to panic after getting the prank message.

To gain credence, the prankster said in his message the facts had been confirmed by a telecom officer.

"Some kind of X-ray or virus comes out when you receive a call from a 12-digit number having 0099 and it transmits a virus that damages the brain and causes death. This is not a joke," the message said.

An official at a mobile service provider said they are receiving hundreds and hundreds of call from panicked subscribers to verify the message.

Statement

The cellular operators moved to calm down subscribers by issuing a joint statement: "There are rumours circulating about mobile phone viruses on various networks harming phone users."

"These rumours are completely baseless. They do not make any sense in technological terms. Kindly verify any information that you send forward," the statement said.

The rumour was so effective that some mosques also made announcements that people were being killed by a mobile virus and to "beware of God's wrath."