One Ring Phone Call Scams
07/24/2024
One Ring Phone Call Scams
What do you do if your phone rings once and then the caller hangs up. It can be incredibly confusing and may make you want to call the person back to make sure there isn’t some sort of emergency. However, many scammers employ the “one-ring” tactic to get you to do just that.
So, what is a one ring phone scam? How it usually works is that the scammer will call the victim and hang up after one ring. They count on the victim calling them back and then charge obscene amounts of money per minute on the call without disclosing the cost. This can lead to the scammer intimidating the victim in order to get them to pay the fees or other types of scams. One ring phone scams can rack up serious dollar amounts for its victims.
The best rule of thumb is to not call back numbers you do not know. If someone legitimately needs to contact you, they will more than likely leave a message with their name and important information. It is important to note that these scammers do sometimes leave messages. These messages usually ask you to call back to schedule a package delivery or notify you about a sick relative. Others will say that a loved one sent you a song or a message. These are all designed to get you to call back and stay on the line as long as possible.
If the call seems like it might be legitimate, do your research and verify any information you can before calling back. Instead of calling back at the missed phone number, call back at a trusted number. This adds an extra layer of protection.
If you have determined that the caller was a scammer, the best practice is to block the phone number so they have no further access to you. If you do not block the scammer, they will keep trying until they get what they want. The biggest red flag to look out for with these scams are foreign area codes. These scams are particularly popular in Sierra Leone (area code 232) and the Dominican Republic (area code 809). These international calls often increase the amount of fees charged to you. You may want to speak with your phone service about blocking incoming international calls.
As mentioned before, also look out for stalling tactics employed by these scammers to keep you on the phone longer. If someone keeps pushing you to talk to them or coming up with excuses to stay on the phone, just hang up. Then keep an eye on your phone bill for any charges you did not authorize. If you find charges, contact your phone company to alert them of the scam and see what they can do to help you. Finally, report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.FTC.gov.
One ring phone scams are increasingly common, and they can pose a significant financial burden to their victims. However, being aware of their characteristics and tactics is the best way to avoid them.
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