BBB warns of “One Ring”phone scam

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – The Better Business Bureau of Central & Eastern Kentucky is warning people to beware of the “one ring” phone scam.

The Federal Communications Commission says several states have reported the “one ring” scam targeting specific area codes in bursts, often calling several times in the overnight hours.

According to FCC officials, the “one ring” scam takes place when a robocaller calls a number and hangs up after a ring or two. They may call repeatedly, hoping the consumer calls back and runs up a per-minute toll charge that is largely paid to the scammer.

The FCC says these calls are using the “222” country code of the West African nation of Mauritania.

So far there have been no reports of anyone being scammed in Kentucky, but the BBB says it wants to make people aware of it and offers these tips for dealing with the “one ring” call:

• DON’T call back numbers you don’t recognize, especially those seeming to originate overseas.
• If you receive one of these calls, file a complaint with the FCC at www.fcc.gov/complaints, and submit a report to BBB Scam Tracker at www.bbb.org/scamtracker. You can call BBB at (859) 259-1008 or 1-800-866-6668.
• 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.