Wangiri / One-Ring Callback Scam

A call rings once from an unfamiliar international number and hangs up before you can answer, banking on curiosity making you call back. The returned call connects to a premium-rate line that racks up enormous per-minute charges, a cut of which goes to the scammer.

An automated system dials thousands of numbers and lets each ring exactly once before hanging up, leaving a missed call from an unfamiliar international number. Curious or concerned victims call back, unknowingly connecting to a premium-rate number set up by the scammer, and the call is deliberately kept going with hold music, fake menus, or a "please stay on the line" recording so it racks up per-minute international charges, a portion of which is paid out to whoever set up the number.

• A missed call from an unfamiliar international number that only rang once.
• An unrecognized country code, especially ones associated with premium-rate scams.
• The callback connects to hold music, silence, or a confusing automated menu that stalls.
• An unusually large charge for a single international call appears on your phone bill.

• Don't call back unfamiliar international numbers, especially after just one ring.
• Check the country code before dialing back — unrecognized codes are a red flag.
• Block and report the number instead of returning the call.
• Contact your carrier if you're billed for a call you never intentionally placed.