'Show Balance' message

[MM22]

Can anyone tell me what might cause a message like this to come up on my phone, when I haven't requested a a balance?  It isn't the usual message I get after I've made a chargeable call/text.  It's a Pay & Go account.  

[madasaf1sh]

@MM22 

Its an automated message , you need to contact customer services on 0345 809 0222 or 4445 from your phone..  or if you send them a message on Facebook (https://o2uk.co/O2CFB) , Twitter (https://o2uk.co/O2CTW) or Instagram (https://o2uk.co/O2CIG), they should be able to help.

[MM22]

thanks, I've tried customer services and they say there's no record of any chargeable activity on my phone on that day.   that's all they can see.

do you have any idea what sort of process might have triggered it? certainly wasn't me!

[madasaf1sh]

It could be a text, data usage or even a delayed message from o2..

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Your screenshot looks like the >Show Balance entry that is stored on your 02 SIM card, along with all the other 02 service numbers. All the names of the 02 numbers on your SIM card start with a > 

My guess is you have accidentally texted your >Show Balance number stored on your SIM card which is *#10#.

You only need to call this number by pressing the Call button in Messages and your credit amount will appear.

Another possibility is that it is Spam, made to look Show Balance. 

[MM22]

It does, doesn't it and that was my first thought, it was a 'fat finger' error

but ... the first one came up immediately after a failed ATM transaction

so I tried the transaction again, it failed again, and I got another 'show balance' message

seems too much of a coincidence?  

[MM22]

Thanks again, customer services have confirmed there was no chargeable activity on my phone on that day.  I didn't send a single message or make any calls during the whole time I was away, I use Whatsapp and e-mail on my computer instead.  I had mobile data and data roaming turned off, I never use mobile data.  Both messages popped up immediately after failed ATM transactions.  As neither the Egyptian bank or its ATM know my phone number, the messages didn't come from them!  I do know the ATM requests reached my UK bank both times, and as my bank does know my phone number, it seems reasonable to connect the events, do you think?