AS the number of spam messages and unknown callers flocking the users rise, telecommunications giant Globe Telecom has warned its subscribers to refrain from answering calls from unknown numbers and callers as it has become the new way of scamming phone users.

Beware of Wangiri Scam

The “one ring and cut” scam, or wangiri as it’s more commonly known, derives its name from the Japanese words for “one” and “hang up.”

According to Globe, Scammers today are increasingly resorting to phone calls in addition to internet schemes, security breaches that occur via public WiFi, and text-based ploys.

What is the modus?

The Wangiri scam is a type of phone scam in which the con artist attempts to defraud potential targets by phoning them from unidentified overseas lines in an effort to get them to send them money. 

The scammer makes a number of calls that are only a few seconds long in order to deceive the user into calling back to a number that charges a premium rate.

The Philippine National Police said that victims are frequently put on hold or listened to a lengthy pre-recorded message such as music playing, or the person will have language problems, or they would converse to you merely to keep you on the phone for as long as possible and rack up bigger costs. 

fIt also said that “it’s pretty hard” to understand how the scammer makes money off of the calls, but further investigation revealed that they are pretending to be an international mobile network in order to trick local mobile providers into sending money to them through the callback that the victim made. 

How not to be tricked?

Users should ask themselves the following:

• Are you expecting a call for work or a personal engagement?
• Is the number calling you from a local service provider?

“If the number is unknown to you, hold back on returning the call,” said Globe in an advisory.

It also noted that international calls charge extra if local users try to call them back, so phone users should bear that in mind.

Recommendations from authorities

According to the PNP, the purpose of the con is to trick people into calling a number when they get a missed call notification on their phone. At this point, they will be taken advantage of financially. However, the public can actually ward off the scam if they follow the guidelines set by the Anti-Cybercrime Group:

• Do not answer to any numbers that are provided to you in an automated call, as well as any numbers that you do not recognize. 
• Only return calls to overseas numbers if you already have them stored in your phone’s memory. 
• Avoid using an iTunes gift card as a method of payment. 
• Delete any messages left on your voicemail. 
• Notify your mobile operator of any international numbers that appear to be suspicious, especially if they are missed calls. Because of this, they will be able to compile a list of phone numbers that will assist them in preventing future consumers from becoming victims. 
• Utilize an app like Truecaller that blocks unsolicited calls and text messages before they reach your phone.

Losses

According to a LinkedIn report, there is an approximately $1.8 billion recorded loss from the side of telecommunications companies globally because of the scam.

It is estimated that per minute, about $50 is being charged per user who is victimized by the said fraud.