Fraudsters are using robocalls to call users once and hang up, in an effort to have you call the number back racking up phone charges.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a consumer alert warning about the scam and advised consumers not to answer or call the unfamiliar numbers back.
“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 noted in the alert.
The FCC also said fraudsters use variations of the scam, such us leaving phony voice-mails urging you to call using a theme of “collect a prize” or “sick” relative.
Be wary of unfamiliar or international area codes used in the scams and be cautious of messages, even if a number appears to be authentic. You can also ask your phone company to block outbound international calls as another safeguard.