Telstra glitch sends users false missed calls and messages - some from deceased relatives

Telstra customers have claimed they received multiple messages about missed calls from contacts who didn't actually reach out to them.

This morning, the DownDetector website shows a spike in reported issues, the ABC reports.

In a statement to the ABC, a Telstra spokesperson said the company resolved the issue soon after they received notice of it.

The spokesperson attributed it to an issue with Telstra's MessageBank service and apologised for customer confusion.

"We experienced an issue with our MessageBank service earlier today, which has now been fixed," they said.

"You might notice a number of delayed missed call and voicemail notifications arriving all at once.

"We're sorry for how confusing this must be."

Not only confusing, but also distressing - as customers also reported on social media that amongst the false notifications were missed calls from deceased relatives, according to news.com.au.

The outlet said on Thursday morning: “Viewers contacted Sunrise claiming they received missed call notifications from relatives who had died as far back as 2020, and another who said her son got a missed-call text from his estranged father, apparently despite neither man having the others’ phone number.”

Telstra reportedly says it's attempting to contact those who made the claims to confirm the incidents.