“Devious” – is perhaps the word that best describes a new scam bilking innocent people out of their hard earned money.

You hear your phone ring just once; you don’t recognize the number but, just to be safe, you return the call – and you’re caught.  This “one-ring scam” involves phony calls made to look like they’re coming from legitimate numbers.  It typically involves a call that ends after one ring, in the hope that the recipient will call back and rack up charges.

Bogus charges

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), if you call that number back, you’ll risk being connected with a phone number outside the U.S. and as a result you may be charged a fee for connecting as well as per-minute charges for as long as you stay on the phone with the scammer. 

Charges may show up on your bill as premium services, international calling or toll-calling.

The one-ring calls often appear from numbers somewhere in the U.S., including three initial digits that resemble U.S. area codes – but, scammers often use international numbers from regions that also begin with three-digit codes or use spoofing techniques to mask the actual number.  Another take on the scheme is to leave a voice-mail message urging you to call a number with an unfamiliar area code to “schedule a delivery” or to notify you about a “sick” relative.

What can you do to avoid the scam?

Here’s what the FTC advises:

• Don’t answer or return any calls from numbers you don’t recognize.
• Before calling unfamiliar numbers, check to see if the area code is international.
• If you do not make international calls, ask your phone company to block outgoing international calls on your line.
• Always be cautious, even if a number appears authentic.

What if you’ve been scammed?

If you’re billed for a call you made as a result of this scam, you should first try to resolve the matter with your telephone company.  If you can’t resolve it directly, you can always file a complaint with the FCC at no cost.

(AL.COM/www.al.com)