{"id":26520,"date":"2023-04-20T17:07:45","date_gmt":"2023-04-21T01:07:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.spokeo.com\/compass\/?p=26520"},"modified":"2023-05-08T17:14:12","modified_gmt":"2023-05-09T01:14:12","slug":"scam-calls-from-sierra-leone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.spokeo.com\/compass\/scam-calls-from-sierra-leone\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting Calls From Sierra Leone?\u00a0 They May Be a Scam"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

It\u2019s the middle of the night and your phone rings once.  And then again a few minutes later.  Bleary-eyed, you reach for your handset to see a missed call that looks legitimate.  Should you call back, bearing in mind that a call at this hour is probably urgent?  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The answer, in most cases, is no.  Check online in the clear light of day and you\u2019ll realize that the 232 area code is not New York (212) but Sierra Leone, which is not a town in the southwestern United States, but a country in West Africa.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on to find out how to avoid one of the top five fraud methods<\/a> in recent years, in which missed calls from Sierra Leone can channel revenue from your pocket to overseas fraudsters.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is the Sierra Leone Call Scam?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You might see it referred to as the \u201cOne Call\u201d scam or the \u201cWangiri\u201d (Japanese for one ring and cut) scam, but the origin is likely to be the same: Sierra Leone or neighboring Mauritania.  Using readily available auto dialler software, fraudsters in these countries call overseas numbers relentlessly, hanging up before their victim can answer.  Often calls target specific areas in turn, with calls coming during the night to trick people into thinking it\u2019s personal, not business related.  Scammers know that most people will call back, either out of curiosity or politeness.  Seniors in particular are likely to return a missed call<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The payoff for the fraud stems from the fact that the number victims dial is usually a premium-rate international number.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Are the Risks?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fraudsters typically register a premium rate service number that will charge a connection fee plus an extortionate per-minute tariff to the victim\u2019s account.  Because they own the service number, scammers collect all revenue from incoming calls, which can easily exceed the ongoing costs of robocalling thousands of overseas numbers each day.  Often, the victim has no idea they have been scammed until their next phone bill arrives, which could be weeks away if the cycle is quarterly.  Although some phone operators will offer a refund, there is no legal obligation for them to do so.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How To Spot a Sierra Leone Scammer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The less sophisticated scammers will not even make the effort to conceal their number, in which case the +232 international code is a giveaway.  Do not return calls from these numbers and block them immediately.  Unfortunately, fraudsters can also spoof numbers that appear to be from within the U.S<\/a>.  Alternatively, some go further by leaving voicemails or sending text messages that refer to a sick relative or urgent delivery.  Whatever the pretext, you should not return any missed calls from international numbers you do not recognize.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Protect Yourself Against Unwanted Calls From International Numbers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The simplest way to enjoy peace of mind and an uninterrupted night\u2019s sleep is to screen your calls for unknown numbers.  You can also use Spokeo\u2019s reverse phone lookup <\/a>to verify any unknown number before calling it back.  If the details don\u2019t check out, let it go.  A further, more drastic option, is to contact your phone company and block all outgoing calls from your line.  This can be a preemptive measure if you\u2019re in a shared or family house, for example, with a single landline that you can\u2019t always monitor.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find out more about Spokeo\u2019s powerful tools for securing your own personal information and checking the identity of those who might be up to no good.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

References:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n