As if the scams by mail were not enough, another technique of fraud by telephone has recently been born. Scammers call, let the phone ring a punch or two, hang up and then wisely wait for you to call them back. However, this banal and usual gesture can make you a new victim of phone fraud. Explanations.
The police recently issued a warning about a new scam technique on the phone. If you want to keep your personal information out of the reach of hackers and fraudsters, you must remain vigilant. If you receive a call with the identity of the caller so much better, otherwise beware of numbers with weird prefixes, which prompt you to wonder if you know anyone in Boise, Idaho, Tacoma or even Washington. If your curiosity begins to make you laps, check it and immediately stop taking the call or recall the number displayed on your screen. By doing so, you run the risk of being ripped off. Fraudsters are pretty cunning and know exactly what to say to get you private information.
The new "One Ring" phone scam
To make you fall into their trap, con artists use international phone numbers to call you, but only ring once or twice, just as long as the number appears on your screen. This technique stirs people's curiosity and urges them to recall the number displayed to discover the reason for this mysterious call. But once they do, they are at great risk of fraud.
These international numbers are chosen because their three-digit area codes resemble national telephone numbers. But they are not, they are international, and if you call them back, you are connected to a pay phone line that consumes your money by billing you by the minute. Even if the call is unsuccessful, you can still be charged for the call. So you're told another time, do not remember these strange numbers.
In addition to this exorbitant billing you can be put in contact with dishonest people who try to sell you services you do not need or convince you to have won a trip to the Maldives ... For example, they are known to convince people to enroll in expensive services and thus need personal information to validate their request. They usually want to get your credit card information and your current mailing address. The police warn you! Never communicate this personal and valuable information over the phone, as criminals can exploit them to steal your identity and steal your money.
What are these indicators to be wary of?
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has issued an official warning about the "One-Ring" scam, and identified the most likely codes to be involved. Here they are :
- 268 - An area code from the Caribbean countries of Antigua and Barbuda.
- 809 - An area code from the Dominican Republic.
- 876 - An indicative from Jamaica.
- 284 - An indicative from the British Virgin Islands.
- 473 - An indicative from Grenada.
The FCC reminds citizens that they should always be cautious even if the number displayed appears to be genuine, as the perpetrators deliberately falsify the information transmitted to your operator to hide their identity.
Conclusion: Avoid answering or recalling numbers from unknown area codes and beware of the scam. Do not hesitate to share this information with your loved ones.