One-ring (wangiri) scam calls

How the one-ring scam works

Your phone rings once, then stops. The caller isn't trying to talk to you. They want you to call back. This trick is also known as wangiri.

The number may look like it's in the U.S. Its first three digits look like an area code. But some places outside the U.S. use three-digit codes too. The FCC gives two examples: 232 goes to Sierra Leone, and 809 goes to the Dominican Republic. Scammers may also fake the caller ID.

If you call back, you may be connected to a number outside the U.S. You can be charged a fee to connect, plus per-minute fees for as long as they keep you on the line. The FTC says most of that money goes to the scammer.

These charges may show up on your bill as premium services, international calling or toll calls.

Variations to know about

Some versions leave a voicemail instead of hanging up. The message asks you to call a number with an area code you don't know. It might say it's about a delivery, or that a relative is sick.

The rule is the same. Don't call an unfamiliar number from a message you weren't expecting. If it's about a relative, call that person or another family member on a number you already have.

What to do

A missed call from a stranger doesn't need an answer. If it matters, they'll leave a message.

• Don't call back a number you don't know, especially one with an unfamiliar area code.
• Before calling any unfamiliar number, check whether the area code is really in another country.
• If you never call other countries, ask your phone company to block outgoing international calls on your line.
• Check your phone bill now and then for charges you don't recognize.
• Report the call to the FTC at DoNotCall.gov and to the FCC at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov. In North Carolina, you can also report robocalls to the NC Attorney General at ncdoj.gov/report-robocalls or (844) 8-NO-ROBO.

If you already called back

It's an easy mistake. Here's what to do.

• Hang up as soon as you can. Per-minute fees add up the longer you stay on.
• Look at your next phone bill for premium, international or toll charges you didn't expect.
• If you were billed, call your phone company first and try to get it fixed.
• If that doesn't work, you can file a complaint with the FCC. It's free.
• If you think you were the victim of an international phone scam, you can also report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

How Nexus handles it

With Nexus, numbers on the spam list are refused, and most callers you don't know are asked who they are before your phone rings. An automated assistant tells the caller the call is being screened and asks who's calling and why. A caller who hangs up has left nothing to answer.

Calls with no caller ID are refused. A number caught as spam on more than one member's line is blocked for everyone, along with numbers from public FTC complaints. Only the number is shared, never what was said.

Depending on your phone, a screened call may still show up in your recent calls. The advice stays the same: don't call back a number you don't know. Real callers can leave a voicemail you can read as text, so you don't have to guess.

Nexus works on Android and iPhone, and you keep your own number and carrier. More about how it works is on the About page.

Nexus is invite-only. The price is on the wait list page, and you can cancel yourself any time.

Common questions

Sources

• FCC: 'One Ring' Phone Scam
• FTC: Get a one-ring call? Don't call back
• NC Department of Justice: Report Robocalls
• Montgomery County (MD) Police: One Ring Scam