It’s late at night. The phone rings, just once. It happens again a few minutes later. It appears that someone is trying to reach you. Should you call back? Definitely not! That’s the scam. Similar to 900 phone numbers where you get charged a certain fee per minute, these scam calls are coming in from other countries that have country codes similar to US area codes – in this current wave, mostly from 222 (Mauritania) and 232 (Sierra Leone). Simply calling the number will result in massive charges automatically added to your phone bill.
Variations to the scam might include a voicemail saying you’ve “won a prize/contest” or they are calling about a sick friend or relative.
Ultimately, be aware of the numbers you are calling. If you’ve fallen prey, you can ask your phone carrier to wipe the charges; if that doesn’t work, you can file a complaint with the FCC.
