Did you receive a missed call from an unknown international number?
Be cautious about the number you call back! Welcome to the world of “Wangiri Calls”.
The word “Wangiri” stands for the Japanese term “one ring and cut”. This incident has apparently originated in Japan.
“Wangiri Calls” is a widespread method of generating short calls and leaving a missed call notification on the display of peoples’ handsets. A fraudster will set up a computer to dial a large number of phone numbers at random. Each one rings just once and then hangs up.
The purpose of “Wangiri Calls” is to get people to call back to the number displayed on the phone screen. People often see the missed call and believe that a legitimate call was cut off, or are simply curious as to who called, so they dial the missed number. The number turns out to be a premium rate number; anything from advertising to “free prizes” or sex services.
Wangiri Fraud is often extended by keeping people on the call as long as possible. This scheme relies on this single ring method for a quick way to make money. The fraudster receives the revenue and the caller is charged an exorbitant rate for the call.
Four things to keep in mind:
Learn more about Wangiri:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wangiri (Wikipedia.org).
Have you experienced other prank calls? What were they like? Share with us so that we too can learn and not fall into the trap.