If you receive a call on your cell phone preceded by one or two rings, chances are it’s part of the new One Ring phone scam spreading across the U.S. faster than a summer wildfire.
How it works: International scammers program computers to send millions of calls to cellphone numbers, ring once or twice, then disconnect. The objective is to make you curious enough to dial that number back.
The “gotcha” happens when you return the call. You are charged $19.95 for the international call fee itself and $9 per minute thereafter. Consumers say they hear music and then advertising, so they think nothing of staying on the phone, resulting in exorbitant charges.
Consumers who have been duped by these calls report calls coming from Dominican Republic (809), Jamaica (876), British Virgin Islands (284), Grenada (473) as well as Minnesota and Canadian area codes.
If you think you are a victim of the One Ring scam, you should immediately alert your phone carrier and keep an eye on your cellphone bill. If you have not already done so, opt out of all third-party billing to your phone.
Start With Trust. For more consumer tips and information, visit the BBB.