Area codes you never want to call back and why
Given the high volume of robocall disruptions and phone scams that occur every day, most of us know that the most logical, safe response to a call from an unfamiliar phone number generally does not involve answering our smartphone or landline with a warm greeting. Unfortunately, fraudsters realize that there are times when circumstances may compel us to accept or return a call from a phone number that we don’t recognize. By adjusting their methods, they have found new inroads for engaging with potential victims, sparking enough intrigue or concern to get past the initial distrust. To stop phone scammers in their tracks, familiarize yourself with these popular tactics to steal your money or personal information, along with the area codes that may alert you to these schemes.
The one-ring scam
Relying heavily on our natural curiosity, this common scam is simple. The phone rings, but before you have a chance to answer it, the call stops. This may happen several times and if you do answer the phone, the caller drops the line. If you call back, you will likely hear a recorded message, while charged expensive international fees. Meanwhile, the criminal collects all or a part of these fees, then moves on to more victims using robocall auto-dialers that can make millions of calls per day.
Ring and Run
Although there are different variations of this con, the common thread is that the scammer attempts to create a sense of urgency. Once you pick up the phone, the caller blurts out a time-sensitive emergency, feigning to represent an agency or organization that can help you get a friend or relative out of a bind.
Once the caller has your attention, they may hang up the phone suddenly, or request that you call them back. Their goal is to get you to place a call to a premium-rate phone number, or to deceive you into giving them money directly or access to personal information, such as your bank account or credit card numbers. Whatever their end game, these scams operate by instilling the need for immediate action.
Watch out for calls from the Caribbean
Criminals often perpetrate the “one-ring” and the “ring and run” scam using area codes originating from the Caribbean area. This is largely because phone numbers from this region may appear to be domestic, since, like the U.S., many of these countries and territories use the country code +1.
Reader’s Digest has provided a helpful list of potentially problematic area codes. Unless you know that a call is legitimate, it is best to avoid calls from the following international area codes with a +1 country code.
To minimize intrusions from scam callers, it can be helpful to use a combination of strategies, such as registering with the FTC’s Do Not Call list, using the call-blocking function on your phone, and even downloading a mobile app to filter out calls that have been previously identified as spam or fraudulent.
Article Source: The Police Credit Union Summer 2021 publication known as APB.
Given the high volume of robocall disruptions and phone scams that occur every day, most of us know that the most logical, safe response to a call from an unfamiliar phone number generally does not involve answering our smartphone or landline with a warm greeting. Unfortunately, fraudsters realize that there are times when circumstances may compel us to accept or return a call from a phone number that we don’t recognize. By adjusting their methods, they have found new inroads for engaging with potential victims, sparking enough intrigue or concern to get past the initial distrust. To stop phone scammers in their tracks, familiarize yourself with these popular tactics to steal your money or personal information, along with the area codes that may alert you to these schemes.
The one-ring scam
Relying heavily on our natural curiosity, this common scam is simple. The phone rings, but before you have a chance to answer it, the call stops. This may happen several times and if you do answer the phone, the caller drops the line. If you call back, you will likely hear a recorded message, while charged expensive international fees. Meanwhile, the criminal collects all or a part of these fees, then moves on to more victims using robocall auto-dialers that can make millions of calls per day.
Ring and Run
Although there are different variations of this con, the common thread is that the scammer attempts to create a sense of urgency. Once you pick up the phone, the caller blurts out a time-sensitive emergency, feigning to represent an agency or organization that can help you get a friend or relative out of a bind.
Once the caller has your attention, they may hang up the phone suddenly, or request that you call them back. Their goal is to get you to place a call to a premium-rate phone number, or to deceive you into giving them money directly or access to personal information, such as your bank account or credit card numbers. Whatever their end game, these scams operate by instilling the need for immediate action.
Watch out for calls from the Caribbean
Criminals often perpetrate the “one-ring” and the “ring and run” scam using area codes originating from the Caribbean area. This is largely because phone numbers from this region may appear to be domestic, since, like the U.S., many of these countries and territories use the country code +1.
Reader’s Digest has provided a helpful list of potentially problematic area codes. Unless you know that a call is legitimate, it is best to avoid calls from the following international area codes with a +1 country code.
- 232: Sierre Leone (Africa)
- 242: Bahamas
- 246: Barbados
- 284: British Virgin Islands
- 268: Antigua and Bermuda
- 345: Cayman Islands
- 441: Bermuda
- 473: Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique
- 649: Turks and Caicos
- 664: Montserrat
- 721: Saint Maartin
- 758: Saint Lucia
- 767: Commonwealth of Domenica
- 784: Saint Vincent and Grenadines
- 809, 829, and 849: The Dominican Republic
- 868: Trinidad and Tobago
- 876: Jamaica
- 869: Saint Kitts and Nevis
To minimize intrusions from scam callers, it can be helpful to use a combination of strategies, such as registering with the FTC’s Do Not Call list, using the call-blocking function on your phone, and even downloading a mobile app to filter out calls that have been previously identified as spam or fraudulent.
Article Source: The Police Credit Union Summer 2021 publication known as APB.