KINGSTON – If your phone rings once and stops, don’t call the number back, advises the Division of Consumer Affairs of the Ulster County District Attorney’s Office.
That one-ring call may be a phone scam where you would be charged a fee for connecting along with significant per-minute fees for as long as they keep you on the phone.
One-ring calls may appear to be from phone numbers in the United States, including three initial digits that resemble US area codes. But savvy scammers often use international numbers from regions that also begin with three-digit codes – for example, 232 goes to Sierra Leon and 809 goes to the Dominican Republic.
Scammers may also use spoofing techniques to further mask the number in your caller ID display.
Variations of the scam rely on phony voice-mail messages urging you to call a number with an unfamiliar area code to “schedule a delivery” or to notify you about a “sick” relative.
To avoid this scam, the Consumer Affairs office 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 to be authentic.
The Ulster County DA’s Division of Consumer Affairs may be reached at 845-340-3260.
