Single Ring Is the New Robocall Scam

New York Daily News

The Federal Communications Commission on Friday alerted consumers about a wave of “One Ring” robocalls after detecting “widespread overnight calling” in both New York and Arizona.

The scam calls, also known as “Wangiri” — which is Japanese for “one ring and drop” — are an attempt to trick customers into phoning the number back. If you do, it can result in getting billed toll charges as though you called a 900 number.

“Generally, the One Ring scam takes place when a robocaller calls a number and hangs up after a ring or two,” the FCC said in a press release. “They may call repeatedly, hoping the consumer calls back and runs up a toll that is largely paid to the scammer.”

According to the FCC the callers are using the “222” country code of Mauritania, a nation in West Africa, to carry out their scheme.

In addition to not returning the phone call, officials encouraged people against calling back numbers they don’t recognize — especially if they appear to be international. And if you don’t typically receive international calls, block all phone calls coming from outside the country, the FCC said.

Consumers are also urged to file a complaint if they have been targeted in the scam and to keep an eye out for charges on their phone bill that they do not recognize.

VIDEO:

Americans have received billions of robocalls and shelled out untold sums to scammers pretending to be IRS representatives, health-care providers, government officials and others. But so far, lawmakers have had a hard time making robocalls stop. WSJ’s Spencer Macnaughton explains why.