One Ring Scam

man holding cellphone

The one-ring scam, also known as the missed call or Wangiri scam, involves receiving a single ring or missed call on your phone. If you call back, you may be connected to a premium rate number, often located in another country, resulting in excessive charges. Scammers take your money through excessive charges and fraudulent schemes. Calling back the missed number can result in high charges, including connection fees and per-minute rates, which can accumulate rapidly. Scammers may attempt to keep you on the line, engaging you in conversation or misleading you with false claims to prolong the call and increase charges.

  • Be wary of area codes associated with premium-rate numbers or foreign countries, such as — 268 (Antigua), 284 (British Virgin Islands), 809 (Dominican Republic), 473 (Grenada), 876 (Jamaica), and 649 (Turks & Caicos Islands).
  • If you receive a missed call from an unknown international number, refrain from calling back, especially if you were not expecting such calls. Instead, you should consider blocking the number. 
  • If you are curious about the missed call, search the number online first. Websites that track scam phone numbers may have information about the number's fraudulent nature.
  • Exercise caution when dialing numbers with unfamiliar area codes, especially those associated with premium-rate services or international calls.
  • Regularly review your phone bill for unauthorized charges or calls to premium rate numbers. If you notice any suspicious charges, contact your service provider immediately.
  • Inform your service provider about the scam call, providing them with details such as the date, time, and number that appeared on your phone. They can assist in investigating and resolving the issue.
  • If you are billed for calls made due to falling victim to the one-ring scam, dispute those charges with your phone service provider and provide them with any supporting evidence that the calls were part of a fraudulent scheme.
  • Remember, be cautious when receiving calls from unfamiliar international numbers. Refrain from calling back such numbers, especially if you suspect they could be part of a scam. Regularly monitor your phone bills for unauthorized charges and promptly report suspicious activity to your service provider.
  • Report the Scam  to local authorities and the appropriate online fraud reporting agencies.