One Ring Cell Phone Scam: BBB Warns Against Unknown Caribbean Island Calls

Cell phone users are being warned to think twice before answering any suspicious calls from the Caribbean Islands.

According to the Better Business Bureau, a new "one ring" scam is giving phone owners unauthorized charges on their wireless bills. WGHP reports that the calls may come from Antigua, Jamaica, Grenada and any other Caribbean Islands and that the phone rings only one time before disconnecting.

If a customer calls back the number displayed, the BBB details that the caller will then be charged $19.95 for an international call fee and an additional $9-per-minute charge. Users reporting the scam to the BBB have said the calls normally come from outside the U.S.

To protect yourself, the BBB encourages consumers not to answer calls from unknown, out-of-state numbers. But if you do answer the phone, they recommend not to call it back if the call disconnects. 

SOURCE:  International Business Times

BBB: Scammers pretend to be utilities company, want payment immedately

The Better Business Bureau is warning customers of a new utility scam.

The BBB said customers are receiving calls by scammers, who tell them their payments are overdue.

Scammers as customers to make those overdue payments by “green dot money pack carsd” in the next hour, or their utilities will be disconnected.

Charlie Mattingly, Louisville Better Business Bureau, said those cards act as cash and are untraceable, meaning the customers lose their money.

Mattingly also said the scammers sometimes ID spoof the calls, so the caller ID may say that they are calling from a local number, when they are actually out of the country.

SOURCE:  WHAS