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If your phone rings once and then stops, think twice before resuming the call. It may be a scam.
Some wireless consumers receive phone calls with three-digit long distance codes that appear to be national, but are actually associated with international billing numbers on demand. These calls often disconnect after a ring to try to convince consumers to resend the call.
If you receive a call like this and do not recognize the number of the incoming call, do not return it. If you do, you may be connected to an international hotline that may charge you a connection fee, as well as significant per minute charges, if they can keep you on the phone. These charges may appear on your bill as premium services.
How does the scam work?
Your cordless phone rings once or twice before the call is disconnected. The number that appears in your wireless phone's log as a missed call appears to be a US area code, but it's actually a three-digit international area code. If you return the call, you will be connected to a phone number located outside the United States, often in Canada or the Caribbean, and charge expensive international calling rates. (For example, "649" goes to the Turks and Caicos Islands, "809" to the Dominican Republic, "284" to the British Virgin Islands and "876" to Jamaica.)
This scam seems to be a variant of fraud involving fake messages on answering machines inviting you to dial a number with an unknown area code to collect a false price or to inquire about a "sick" relative.
Tips to avoid scam
- Check all unknown area codes before returning calls.
- Be aware that many 3-digit area codes (mainly in the Caribbean) connect callers to international phone numbers.
- If you do not make international calls, ask your local or wireless phone company to block outgoing international calls on your line.
Do not forget that you should always be careful even if a number seems genuine. Criminals may also resort to an "identity theft" of the caller's identifier – deliberately falsifying the information transmitted to the caller's screen in order to conceal their identity. (See our consumer guide on impersonation and caller ID.) Bottom line: Avoid answering or diverting calls from unknown area codes or phone numbers. calls that you suspect to be spoofed.
What to do if you are a victim of this scam
If you are charged for a call you made as a result of this scam, first try to resolve the problem with your phone company. If you can not resolve it directly, you can file a complaint with the FCC without charge.
File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission
If you feel that you are the victim of an international phone scam, you can file a complaint with the FTC.
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