Scams are everywhere these days, with your computer and your smartphone being the most likely targets. You think you know how to tell the real from the fake, but are you sure? Some of these scams are so slick they could snare just about anybody.
1. One-Ring Phone Calls
They say curiosity killed the cat, but, in this case, it may just cost you hundreds of dollars on your cell phone bill. Here’s how the scam works: You get a call from a number you don’t recognize.
Your phone rings once, then stops before you can answer it. Curious, you call the number back.
Instead of your long-lost best friend from kindergarten, you get an adult chat line. Or maybe it’s just a recording that tells you to hold for an operator.
Either way, the charges rack up while the clock ticks. Some people have been charged an international call fee plus as much as $9 a minute.
With a million Americans receiving these calls every day, it’s a lucrative scam that shows no signs of slowing down any time soon. The calls typically originate in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, the British Virgin Islands, or Granada.
But the callers are clever, and the numbers look legitimate. Some of the area codes that are used include 268, 284, 473, 664, 649, 767, 809, 829, 849, and 876. The key to avoiding this scam is to fight the urge to call the number. If somebody really needs you, they’ll call back.