Wangiri check: is this missed call a scam?
Got a missed call from abroad? Type the number or just its calling code. We tell you whether that code is a known origin of “one ring” scams that want you to call back an expensive number.
What to do
- Don’t call back an unknown international number after a single ring.
- If it matters, the caller will call again or leave a message.
- Ask your operator to bar calls to premium-rate and international numbers.
- Report the number so that other people get warned.
Which countries it covers
The list holds the calling codes that European regulators and operators keep reporting in missed-call campaigns, the Caribbean +1 area codes that the US FTC lists for one-ring calls and the satellite networks. It works for every edition. Scammers change origin often: a code that is not listed can still be used.
Indicative information from published numbering plans. It describes the type of number, never the person or company behind it.
Frequently asked questions
What is a wangiri call?
Wangiri means “one ring and cut” in Japanese. The phone rings once from an international number so that you call back; the number is expensive and part of the charge goes to the scammer.
Is it dangerous to answer?
Answering an incoming call is normally free. The cost comes from calling back, which is what the scam wants.
I already called back. What now?
Hang up and check your next bill. If you see an international or premium charge you did not expect, complain to your operator.