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You get a missed call from an 08 number, decide not to follow it up and think no more of it.

But then you get a text message from your mobile provider warning you that your phone is being blocked due to high usage.

And they send you a bill for hundreds of pounds.

When you protest, the phone provider says you called the number back. Not only that, but your call lasted between 3 and 12 hours. And it's rung up a bill that will cost you a lot of money.

The mysterious missed call

(Image: Getty)

This appears to be a new kind of mobile phone scam that can cost customers hundreds of pounds.

Victims who spoke to the The Daily Mail have told variations of the same story, all with no recollection of calling back the number on their bill. Especially not for 12 hours.

Some say they didn’t even see the missed call, while others just ignored it.

One woman, who usually had a bill of £9 a month, was shocked to discover she owed £90 after a call which she did not answer.

Another was distressed to learn she owed £375 for a call to an 0845 number - 41 times higher than her normal bill.

Read more:The text trap that means you're charged 45p for basic messages

Vodafone initially told her she had been on the line for 12 hours, but her phone only showed a missed call from the number and none the other way.

All the victims seen by the paper were Vodafone customers, but the mobile phone provider says it is an industry wide scam.

Mobile phones watchdog Ofcom is investigating.

The numbers appear to be linked to 0845 and 0843 numbers owned by claims management firms.

But the exact way that the scam works is still unclear.

How to protect yourself

(Image: Mirrorpix)

The customers interviewed by The Daily Mail had to argue with Vodafone, which initially said they had simply been on the phone for hours and rung up a large bill.

The good news is, that Vodafone and other mobile phone companies now recognise it is a scam.

If you receive a call from a suspicious 0845 or 0843 number, make a note of it and check your next mobile phone bill.

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Read more:The text that cost a man £23,000

A Vodafone spokeswoman told Mirror Money : "This is an industry-wide issue affecting other operators. Vodafone’s systems have not been compromised or breached in any way.

"Our security monitoring systems have identified that a number of customers have returned unsolicited calls, leading to them being charged significant amounts.

"We have taken proactive measures to ensure none of the customers affected are out of pocket and have identified and blocked the numbers creating this issue.

"As this is an industry-wide issue we are working with Ofcom and other operators to identify and close down this issue as soon as we can.”

An Ofcom spokeswoman said: “We are very concerned to hear of a number of people receiving mobile charges they didn’t expect. Ofcom is working with the mobile operators, industry experts and partner regulators to establish the causes and address the problem.

“We are pleased that Vodafone is blocking suspicious numbers and refunding affected customers. We advise those who believe they are affected to contact their phone company promptly.”