The scam targeting subscribers, most often those of mobile networks, relies on the tendency to return missed calls. Usually, a “single ring” occurs most often in the evening or at night, giving the recipient no chance to answer. The scammers are counting on the number’s owner calling back, thereby generating a high call charge.
The phone display usually shows numbers from the Republic of the Congo or Côte d’Ivoire, whose area codes +243 and +225 may suggest domestic calls, for example from Warsaw (22) or Płock (24). Recently, numbers resembling those used by Polish mobile networks have also appeared, such as 703 XXX XXX, using the same mechanism to scam subscribers.
It also happens that these calls are deliberately prolonged: for example, the user hears a disconnection signal, but if they do not hang up themselves, the call continues, generating high charges.
The police appeal:
If we are not expecting a call from abroad, and the string of digits displayed on the phone is suspiciously long or we do not recognize the international area code, we should be cautious. Do not return calls or send SMS messages until we have checked how much a call to the number will cost – international calls are more expensive – or whether it belongs to a number range used to provide premium-rate services (e.g. 708 XXX XXX). This can be checked on the website of the Office of Electronic Communications.
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