Missed a Call From an Unknown Number? It Could be a Scam, PNP Warns

(SPOT.ph) An unknown phone number rings. You stare at it, wondering if it’s a rider calling to deliver a parcel or a verification call from the bank. Before you can even pick up, the ringing stops.

Try to not let curiosity get the best of you and call back—this could be what the Philippine National Police calls the One Ring Phone Scam. We often have our guard up when it comes to callers asking personal information about us, but the easy success of the One Ring Phone Scam is that it won’t even require us to speak.

The goal isn’t to get any information out of you, but to have you call them back.

Also read: Here's How You Can Outsmart a Phone Scammer

How One Ring Phone Scam works

Scammers will typically use an auto-dialer to make mass international calls to numerous people at once. Spoofed phone numbers will be used to seem legitimate in the caller ID display. They will only allow the phone to ring once then hang up, prompting a missed call notification on your end.

If you call back, you risk being connected to an automated machine that will either ask you to stay on the line or connect you to a premium-rate number without realizing it. Such numbers will charge high rates for every minute that the call is active.

A sample conversation could look like this: “Hello….hello? I’m having trouble hearing you. Hello?” More recently, scammers are getting creative: “You’ve received a song from someone who loves you. After listening to this song, you will find out who sent this song as a gift.”

They will say anything to get you to stay on the line. These charges may show up on your bill as premium services, international calling, or toll-calling.

Also read: What to Do When an Unknown Number Calls or Texts You via WhatsApp

How to avoid the One Ring Phone Scam

Like other forms of scams, the best course of action is to ignore them. Here are other anti-scam tips from the Federal Communications Commission, which the PNP reiterated in a Facebook post:

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

Worried about missing legitimate phone calls? Keep in mind that the caller will and should text if it really is important enough to follow up on.

Also read: GUIDE: Email and SMS Scams You Need to Know to Protect Your Money