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- It records telephone numbers used by organisations, such as banks and government agencies, to receive calls but never to make calls. The DNO list is shared with telecoms providers, their intermediaries and interested parties like call blocking or filtering services, who can block outgoing calls from numbers on the list.
www.ofcom.org.uk/phones-and-broadband/scam-calls-and-messages/tackling-scam-calls-and-texts/
People also ask
How do you know if a phone number is a scam?
What is a phone scam?
Are phone calls from unknown numbers a scam?
Are international phone numbers a scam?
Apr 18, 2024 · One way to check if a number is potentially a scam is to use a reverse phone number lookup service. These websites and apps allow you to enter a number and see public information associated with it, such as the registered name, location, and carrier.
- Overview
- Most Common Scammer Area Codes
- Common Types of Phone Scams
- Protecting Yourself from Phone Scams
- Reporting Phone Scams
Constant phone calls from unknown numbers are more than just irritating. Calls from certain area codes inside and outside the US are more likely to be scams than innocent telemarketing, and answering or calling back these numbers can result in a loss of personal information or costly international calling fees. In this article, we’ll show you the most common domestic and international scam area codes to avoid answering calls from, plus the types of scams these callers use and how to protect yourself from fraud.
Ignore calls from 3-digit international area codes that are likely to be scams, including 232, 268, 284, 473, 664, 649, 767, 809, 829, 849, and 876.
Be wary of calls from unknown numbers with your own area code. These may be international caller ID spoof scams that appear local.
Sign up for the FTC’s
National Do Not Call Registry
and ask your phone provider about robocalling blocking options to reduce the number of scam calls you get.
Don’t answer unknown calls from these area codes.
While any unknown phone number can be a potential scam, certain area codes appear more commonly. If you don’t recognize a phone number with these area codes, do not answer. The caller may be trying to get personal information from you or trying to make you call an international (likely Caribbean) number and rack up costly per-minute fees. Instead, check your voicemail afterward to see if it was a legitimate caller, or Google the phone number to see if it’s associated with any known scams.
International area codes to avoid:
Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique
Domestic area codes to avoid:
If you know someone from these areas, reach out to them directly with their last known phone number, by email, or on social media to confirm if it was them who called you.
Scammers will call your phone number and hang up after the first ring to pique your curiosity and have you call the number back. These numbers are often international and come from countries that have 3-digit area codes that resemble US area codes (for example, area code 232 is from the country of Sierra Leone). If you call back, you’ll be charged fees and/or per-minute charges for calling internationally, in addition to potentially losing money or private information to the scammer.
Don’t answer or return calls from numbers you don’t recognize. Check to see if the unknown area code is international before calling back, and consider asking your phone service carrier to block outgoing international calls from your line (unless you have a legitimate need to call internationally).
Sign up for the FTC’s
National Do Not Call Registry
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) operates a database where consumers can elect not to receive telemarketing calls. This won’t stop all spam calls, but it will make them easier to identify. Most legitimate telemarketers will not contact you if you’re on the registry, meaning any unknown numbers that you see are likely to be scams.
Contact your phone service provider about scam call blocking options.
Some providers have functionalities to help identify, screen, or block scam calls from reaching your line. US carriers are already federally required to block calls with evidence of caller ID spoofing or other tampering, but they may not automatically block domestic robocalls or other scams from unchanged numbers. Contact your provider to learn about the options they offer—just be aware that these services may cost extra.
Inquire about services to stop scam texts as well, since US federal regulations about blocking scam calls do not apply to text messages.
Contact local police and your state’s consumer protection office first.
Gather all of the information related to the scam, including any phone numbers involved, and report the scam to your state’s consumer protection office (often a division of your state Attorney General’s office). If you’re not sure how to submit a complaint, search for your state’s office information using
if you lost any money, possessions, or personal information. Your local police may not be able to track down the scammer themselves, but having a report on file may support your claims to your phone service provider and other organizations like the FCC or FTC.
File a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).
May 8, 2024 · So, if you want to call the genuine company on a legitimate number, use a different phone or wait for at least 10 to 15 minutes before you make a call. For bank impersonation scams, you can Call 159 and you'll be put through to your bank's genuine customer service line.
The Do Not Originate (DNO) list protects legitimate numbers that are most likely to be spoofed. It records telephone numbers used by organisations, such as banks and government agencies, to receive calls but never to make calls.
Phone scams involve fraudsters attempting to obtain your personal or financial information over the phone. These scams are often referred to as 'vishing' scams - a combination of 'voice' and 'phishing'. It's not always easy to spot a phone scam.
Jun 17, 2024 · Use the following checklist to decide if the contact you’ve received is a scam. You can use it for phone calls, emails and text messages. It could be a scam if it:
18 Feb 2024. Scams glossary. Do you know your phishing, from your vishing or your smishing and quishing? Our scams glossary can help you navigate the jargon. Tali Ramsey. In this article. Action Fraud. Advance-fee fraud. Adware. Antivirus software. Artificial intelligence. Authorised push payment (APP) fraud. Bait and switch. Bitcoin.
