The number 8 is usually considered auspicious, and is particularly prized by the Chinese who see it as a symbol of wealth.

But it seems that what should have been a lucky mobile phone number had instead placed some sort of curse on its owners.

The mobile phone number 0888 888 888, issued by the Bulgarian telco Mobitel is now being suspended after it killed all three men who had owned it within a short 10 year span.

First victim

The phone number's first victim was Mobitel's CEO himself. Vladimir Grashnov died of cancer in 2001 at just 48 years old.

Although Grashnov had a spotless business record, there were persistent rumours that the CEO's cancer was caused by a business rival using radioactive poisoning.

Second victim

After his death, this phone number was used by a Bulgarian mafia boss, Konstantin Dimitrov. He too died two years later, gunned down by a lone assassin while in the Netherlands to inspect his drug smuggling empire.

The phone that held the cursed number was with him when he was dining out with a model. Dimitrov was just 31 when he died.

Russian mafia bosses were said to be behind the killing.