(WKBW) — It's the sound some of us have recently heard in the middle of the night...the phone ringing. Country codes coming from Mauritania, +222, and Sierra Leone, +232.
The Federal Communications Commission saying in a warning released late last week, it's "One Ring" scam robocalls. The scammer calls multiple times, trying to get a call back, which can result in hefty international fees.
Tips from the FCC:
- Do not call back numbers you do not recognize, especially those appearing to originate overseas.
- File a complaint with the FCC if you received these calls: www.fcc.gov/complaints
- If you never make international calls, consider talking to your phone company about blocking outbound international calls to prevent accidental toll calls.
- Check your phone bill for charges you don’t recognize.
Dr. Petter Lovaas, a associate professor and cyber security expert from Niagara University, says the goal of scammers is to steal your information.
He suggests not only to not call back or file a complaint, but check with your carrier to see if any apps are available to help curb these calls. Dr. Lovaas also adds, if you haven't done so already, get your name on the Do Not Call Registry.
"You should not interact with any of those calls, whatsoever. You shouldn't pick it up, you shouldn't call them back, you should just leave it," he said. Dr. Lovaas continued, "Think about it this way, it doesn't cost much to do it so if you can get 10 people answering that call, it's worth it for them."
