Beware ‘one ring’ scam calls from international number, police warn

This new scam is said to have originated in Japan, police say.


Benoni police are warning cellphone users about falling victim to the ‘One Ring’ scam.

This new scam, which is said to have originated in Japan, starts off with one ring, making the user think that it was a missed call, according to Brigadier Stokkies Coetzee of the Gauteng police.

This usually happens during the night time, Benoni City Times reports.

Coetzee said victims received a call from an international number, and because the call came from an international number, the users tend to call back with an interest to know who the caller is and what the purpose of the call was.

Once you call, you either trigger spam that will either be sent to you or you are often put on hold (the other person won’t talk) and you eventually end up with a high call account.

If you happen to get any calls from an unknown number beginning with the following country codes do not answer:

• Burundi (+257)

• Malawi (+265)

• Pakistan (+92)

• Russia (+7)

• Nigeria (+234)

• Tunisia (+216)

• Belarus (+375)

Avoid calling international numbers unless you are certain who you are calling.

Caxton News Service

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