SCAM ALERT: Don’t Return Calls Or Texts From These Numbers…

The Federalist Papers – by Brian Thomas

Scammers have come up with some fishy ways to take your money, and in today’s world of modern technologies, even a phone call could drain your bank account. Fake websites, chip readers, and emails from royal family members you didn’t know about may be some of the scams you already know about. Now, a simple phone call is one way crooks can get their hands in your wallet.

Scammers call or text random numbers, and if their victims call or text them back, they can make some easy money.  

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Read More:

Fox2Now: Scam Alert: Beware unfamiliar callers with these area codes

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They’ll even give you a good reason to want to return their calls, sometimes playing a recording of cries for help that will sound like an emergency to sympathetic ears. They’ll also call and hang up after the first ring, knowing some people are curious enough to wonder who’s calling.

From Don’tWasteYourMoney.com:

Some of these calls originate from numbers with a 473 area code, which is the code for several islands outside the United States that also uses the +1 country code. Don’t be fooled, though, because you could end up paying more than $20 per minute if you call back. (These scams originated with pagers back when pagers were cool!)

This is just one area code that scammers use, so beware. Criminals first started with 900 numbers, then moved on to using area code 809. But with cell phones and new area codes, you probably get a lot of calls from wonky numbers these days.

Plus, there are dozens of countries that use the +1 country code, including many Caribbean countries.

There’s been a recent resurgence of the “one-ring scam,” so don’t let it happen to you.

Fox3Now reports:

Sometimes the scammers will reportedly play hold music or ads in an attempt to keep victims on the line while the charges add up.

The calls are from phone numbers with three-digit area codes that look like they’re from inside the U.S., but are actually associated with international phone numbers — often in the Caribbean.

According to the FTC, the area codes include 268, 284, 473, 664, 649, 767, 809, 829, 849 and 876

If you receive a call or text from a number you don’t recognize, don’t reciprocate. Ignore strange voicemails, and always check the area codes.

http://thefederalistpapers.org/us/scam-alert-dont-return-calls-or-texts-from-these-numbers