Scam Phone Calls trick to pile on international phone charges

[Dusty_Star]

Hi all,

I got a call yesterday from this number: 941 300-6913. My phone service alerted me that it might be spam so I didn't answer. This morning I put the number into Google search & found that it is indeed associated with scammers. Here is a link to a Sarasota article about this particular scam, the article is a couple of years old, but I got the call yesterday - so it seems the scammers are still in business. I blocked the number. https://www.mysuncoast.com/2019/06/12/fcc-issuing-warnings-about-one-ring-phone-scam/ Hope this helps you avoid these scammers. :22yikes:
Dusty

[retiredguy123]

As I understand it, if you make a call to an overseas number, the U.S. has an international agreement that the charge for the call will be collected from you by your phone provider. Note, that some of these numbers do not require extra digit dialing. You may be stuck to pay for the call because you actually placed the call, and your phone provider must reimburse the overseas company. That is why you should never return a call to a number that you are not familiar with.

[Keefelane66]

So your spam/malware blocker worked. Turning off calls from unknown contacts is a great feature but still allows callers to leave voicemail.

[retiredguy123]

So your spam/malware blocker worked. Turning off calls from unknown contacts is a great feature but still allows callers to leave voicemail.
Not necessarily. I don't have an active spam blocker on my phone, but I still get caller ID screens that say the call is "potential spam". I think this message is generated by the phone provider, not by any spam blocker app. It doesn't block the call, but just alerts you that it may be a spammer. I think that most good spam blocker apps would block the call from ringing at all.

[Keefelane66]

Not necessarily. I don't have an active spam blocker on my phone, but I still get caller ID screens that say the call is "potential spam". I think this message is generated by the phone provider, not by any spam blocker app. It doesn't block the call, but just alerts you that it may be a spammer. I think that most good spam blocker apps would block the call from ringing at all.
My service provider provides the service and since it’s not one of my contacts the phone does not ring but does provide a visual notification on incoming calls.

[Dusty_Star]

As I understand it, if you make a call to an overseas number, the U.S. has an international agreement that the charge for the call will be collected from you by your phone provider. Note, that some of these numbers do not require extra digit dialing. You may be stuck to pay for the call because you actually placed the call, and your phone provider must reimburse the overseas company. That is why you should never return a call to a number that you are not familiar with.
Yes, I believe that is how this one works, I think it is called spoofing - where the number you dial (in this case a standard, safe looking Sarasota area code) is translated to an overseas number - without you being aware!

[OhioBuckeye]

You did exactly right, don’t answer. As soon as you answer or just pick up the receiver & put it back on the cradle the scammer knows there’s a live person on the other end! You did exactly the right thing.

[Halbraun]

It would also be good not to paste a dialable link in your post. You can spread the numbers out with spaces or spell a number or two..

That will prevent someone from dialing it by mistake..

[Vermilion Villager]

Not necessarily. I don't have an active spam blocker on my phone, but I still get caller ID screens that say the call is "potential spam". I think this message is generated by the phone provider, not by any spam blocker app. It doesn't block the call, but just alerts you that it may be a spammer. I think that most good spam blocker apps would block the call from ringing at all.
I have an iPhone and it has a feature where it will send every call not in your address book to voicemail. It seems the scammers know this because every time I activate the feature the spam calls almost instantly go away.

[grooms]

I have an iPhone and it has a feature where it will send every call not in your address book to voicemail. It seems the scammers know this because every time I activate the feature the spam calls almost instantly go away.
How do I find this feature on my I-phone?

[Bill14564]

How do I find this feature on my I-phone?

Settings -> Phone -> Silence Unknown Callers

[coralway]

Another thing to keep in mind - if you do answer a call from a number you don’t recognize, and the caller begins by saying “can you hear me”, don’t say anything, but immediately hang up. The caller is an overseas scammer, and as soon as you say something you will be charged.

[Babubhat]

Your contacts should have a special ring tone. Ignore calls with the default ringtone.

[DAVES]

As I understand it, if you make a call to an overseas number, the U.S. has an international agreement that the charge for the call will be collected from you by your phone provider. Note, that some of these numbers do not require extra digit dialing. You may be stuck to pay for the call because you actually placed the call, and your phone provider must reimburse the overseas company. That is why you should never return a call to a number that you are not familiar with.

I usually do not answer the phone. If, they choose not to leave a message and a call back number clearly it is no one I wish to talk to. Professionals who say they will call you back in a few hours. Do they think you will be carrying around private, possibly irreplaceable stuff for the next few hours? WE ALLOW THIS.

[keepsake]

941 is Sarasota area code.
Got a call from 302-300-3664, that's Delaware, thought biden was calling me !!