FCC Warns People Against Illegal Robocall Scam

Are you hearing your phone ring just once? The Federal Communications Commission is warning you not to call the number back. If you do, you could be on the hook for hundreds of dollars after falling victim to a “one-ring” phone scam.

“For illegal robocallers, the goal isn’t always getting you to answer. Sometimes, it’s getting you to call back,” the FCC said in a warning posted to its Web site. “Every so often, your phone may ring once and then stop. If that happens to you, and you do not recognize the number, do not return the call. You may be the target of a ‘one-ring’ phone scam.”

According to the FCC, scammers often disguise these phone numbers with what appear to be U.S. area codes, when the call is actually coming from a foreign country with a three-digit code, such as the Dominican Republic or Turks and Caicos. People who call the numbers back can be charged connection fees, as well as a per-minute fee similar to ones charged by 900 numbers.

“If you call any such number, you risk being connected to a phone number outside the U.S. As a result, you may wind up being charged a fee for connecting, along with significant per-minute fees for as long as they can keep you on the phone. These charges may show up on your bill as premium services,” the FCC said.

Play it safe by declining calls from unfamiliar numbers, and if they only ring once, don’t call back. Always check to see if the area code from an unfamiliar number is actually the three-digit code of a foreign country.