Cell phone scams come in various forms. What they all have in common is that they are made with the intention of cheating you out of your hard-earned money. Some of the most common cell phone scams are debt collection calls in which scammers pose as debt collectors, and warrant calls where fraudsters reach out to you attempting to fulfill a phony warrant.
One of the most recent and basic of them all are one-ring scams. They are sent out to a wide range of individuals with the hopes that at least one person will fall for it. Its simplicity makes it seem harmless, but it can ultimately cost you hundreds of dollars you don’t have.
If your phone ever rings once and stops, you may want to reconsider returning the call. There’s a possibility that it is a scam. People have reported receiving calls from unknown numbers that seem to be domestic but are actually coming from international numbers that require you to pay per call. The international hotline will charge a connection fee and can charge a substantial fee for every minute you stay on the phone. Your next phone bill will likely include a hefty charge for making an international call.
Many people fall into the trap because they assume the three-digit area code to be an American phone number. Countries like the Dominican Republic (809), British Virgin Islands (284), and Turks and Caicos (649) all have such area codes. Scammers will even leave a voicemail stating that you won a fake prize or that you have a sick relative who is trying to contact you. With South Florida having such a large Caribbean population, it is easy to see how residents are prime targets for one-ring scams.
Not all phone calls you receive are from saved contacts, so it can be difficult to know which ones to trust and which ones to ignore. A few simple tips to avoid being victimized by one-ring scams include:
These tips may help defer one-ring scams, but there are still many cell phone scams that plague Americans every day. If you have been on the receiving end of a harassing phone call, reach out to The Law Offices of Jibrael S. Hindi. Our experienced Florida TCPA attorneys can help you recover funds for every invasive call you’ve been subjected to. We’ve recovered millions for Americans just like you, and now it’s your turn. Contact us today for a free case evaluation and let Jibrael fight for you!