Beware of 'One-Ring' Phone Scams

According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), there have been 34,208 reports of phone scams to date in 2020. Recently, we have seen a resurfacing of 'One-Ring' phone scams, resulting in financial losses for organisations and unsuspecting individuals alike. Here's what you need to know about 'One-Ring' phone scams, and what you can do to protect yourself against them.

What are 'One-Ring' call scams?

‘Wangiri’ is a Japanese term which roughly means ‘one and cut’. In a 'One-Ring' scam (also known as a Wangiri Scam), an individual will receive a phone call that only rings once and then ends, prompting a missed call to appear on their screen. Generally, these missed calls will appear as an international number.

When the individual returns the missed call, the scammers goal is to keep the individual on the call for as long as possible, so that the call charge inflates. Scammers are known to put return callers on hold, play them music, or try and speak with individuals to increase call duration.

How to protect yourself 

Thankfully, there are some simple ways you can keep on the look out for 'One-Ring', and all phone scams.

We recommend that individuals:

• Don't answer calls from unknown numbers. If a call is important, callers will generally leave a voice mail identifying themselves and what the call is regarding.
• Do not return any calls to unknown numbers, particularly if they only ring once.
• Block the number of any repeatedly missed unknown calls.
• Add a call block for international numbers to any family members who may be under the age of 18. This prevents young adults falling prey to 'One-Ring' phone scams.
• Educate your colleagues and loved ones about phone scams, particularly the elderly.

What to do if you've been scammed

• If you’ve been targeted by a "One-Ring' scam and receive a large phone bill. Speak with your phone service provider immediately to discuss your options.
• Report the scam to the ACCC via the Report a scam page.
• To further progress the matter if you do not receive support from your phone service provider, you can contact the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman.

With over 10 years’ experience in the telecommunications space, serving our extensive customer base and working with leading Carriers, Diamond’s vast knowledge of business communications requirements and the changing landscape is second to none.

If you need support or advice on your current phone service or provider, contact our team today on 1300 307 907.