Don't know number? Best not to answer it

 MARION — Asleep just after midnight Wednesday, the Marion-area woman did not wake to take the call from Grenada on her cellphone.

Not answering might have saved her some money, a Better Business Bureau warning suggests.
BBB warns consumers if they don’t recognize an out-of-state number on their caller ID to ignore the incoming call and not call the number back. Consumers who don’t heed its advice could encounter an unauthorized charge on their wireless phone bill.

A new scam is on the rise, as people in a number of states have reported receiving calls on their mobile phones during which the caller hangs up. When cellphone owners call back, they’re connected to a paid international adult entertainment service or chat line located outside the country, BBB states.

Victims subsequently are billed for the incoming international call if they answer the unwanted premium service, which typically appears as a $19.95 charge. BBB states that in some instances crammers may put only a smaller charge of several dollars to avoid arousing suspicion.


The area codes that appear on the caller ID often originate from the Dominican Republic (809), Jamaica (876), British Virgin Islands (284) and Grenada (473).

The Marion-area woman, whose name The Marion Star is not disclosing because she was the victim of a potential crime, said when she awoke and saw the missed call she “thought it was unusual.”
Upon learning of the BBB warning regarding the new potential phone scam, she said, “I work for the phone company, so not too surprised. Glad I didn’t answer.”

Called “cramming,” the practice of third parties placing unauthorized charges on wireless accounts is expected to grow. The Federal Trade Commission and Federal Communications Commission have reviewed thousands of complaints about the practice, BBB states.

BBB recommends consumers, in addition to not answering such calls or returning them, check their wireless bills carefully and inform their carrier if they spot any unauthorized charges.

The Ohio Attorney General’s Office has received calls from Ohioans alerting it to these types of phone calls, Kate Hanson, an attorney general’s office spokeswoman, said Thursday.

Telemarketing concerns “are a common source of complaints and inquiries reported to the Ohio Attorney General’s Office,” Hanson said. “In many cases, consumers report that the caller left no message or that the phone number that appeared on their caller ID had an out-of-country area code.”
A Fairborn woman reported to the attorney general’s office that on Jan. 21 she received a call showing a 767 area code that she did not answer, and the caller left no message. She looked it up and found it was from the Dominican Republic.

A Holland man Jan. 16 reported he received a call from the 473 area code, stating such calls when answered “will result in huge telephone service charges,” Hanson said in an email.

To protect themselves, consumers should not respond to suspicious calls in any way, she said.
Consumers can report telemarketing violations or potential scams by contacting the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, 800-282-0515.

jjarvis@marionstar.com
740-375-5154
Twitter: @jmwjarvis