Have you missed an unexpected call from an overseas number?
If so, chances are you’ve been targeted by the 'Wangiri' scam.
‘Wangiri’ is a Japanese term which roughly means ‘one (ring) and cut’. In these scams, a scammer will call and hang up after only one ring so a missed call from an international number will appear on your phone.
The scammers rely on you calling the number back in order to charge you a premium rate. The longer the scammers can keep you on the phone the more you are charged for the call. They may even put you on hold, play music or read a horoscope.
As the call operates like a 1900 number or mobile premium service, a large percentage of the call charge is passed on to the scammer by your service provider.
If you receive a missed call from an unexpected international number like this, ignore it.
Learn more about these calls and how to protect yourself at www.scamwatch.gov.au/news/unexpected-missed-calls-from-overseas-numbers