(Unfortunately) the popular missed call scam is not new. Receiving a call from a prefix we don’t know and answering it without knowledge can be very expensive. Let
(Unfortunately) the popular missed call scam is not new. Receiving a call from a prefix we don’t know and answering it without knowledge can be very expensive. Let us explain to you What is this scam?What are the ways to avoid it and what are the disadvantages of trying to protect ourselves from them at all costs, because today there is no infallible method to get rid of this practice.
The methods we will explain are for both Android phones and iPhones with iOS. Although the approach is different depending on the platform we use, each of these systems has tools to protect us from unwanted calls.
What is missed call scam?
Missed call scams are unfortunately an old familiar. Already in June 2022 Civil Guard He warned about this by stating some of the most commonly used prefixes when performing this practice. In particular, some of the most commonly used prefixes when making fraudulent calls include:
355 – Albania
387 – Bosnia-Herzegovina
225 – Ivory Coast
233 – Ghana
91 – India
212 – Morocco
234 – Nigeria
231 – Sierra Leone
91 – India
Why are they calling us from abroad? In this case of fraud, we are talking about premium rate numbers that have a particularly high call cost for the recipient.
The mechanism is simple: They call us briefly so we can find a missed call, so they call us to answer the call. With this charge, we will be calling a foreign number without realizing it.
How to protect yourself from missed call scams on Android?
The first way to protect yourself from these numbers… common sense. Never accept numbers with very long extensions and strange prefixes. Only in exceptional cases, if you are expecting an international call (an unusual situation), are you advised to answer calls outside the national telephone line.
Image: Xataka Android
The second solution is to download the Google Phone application if it is not installed on your phone. In the settings you will find the ‘caller ID and spam’ section. By default this app will warn you that a call might be spam before it’s answered, but it also has a more radical option.
We recommend that you enable the option by default. “filter spam calls”. Automatically, when a spam number calls you, the phone will filter it and not ring. Of course, it will show you a notification that the call is blocked.
Unfortunately, this method is not foolproof. Some calls coming from abroad do not appear as spam in the Google application, so you have to resort to other methods.
In the settings of your Android mobile phone, look for “search” in the settings bar. In this section you can find call restriction settings depending on the customization layer. some phones allow you to block callsLike Samsung’s updates to the latest versions of One UI.
In a third scenario, the least recommended is to install third-party applications that do the job. Solutions like TrueCaller allow you to block foreign numbers directly, as well as identify exactly where they are coming from. We can also configure prefixes manually. It is a safe app but the price to pay is our data regarding the number and calendar, so even if the app works fine you have to think a few times.
How to protect yourself from missed call scams on iOS?
Blocking calls is not that easy when it comes to iPhone. There is an option, although it is quite radical. If we go to the iPhone settings and click on the Phone option, we will find a menu where the option to “mute strangers” appears.
When enabled, calls from unknown numbers will be sent directly to voicemail. The only exception to this would be phones we have called recently, even if they are not registered in the phone book. Blocking is a slightly more aggressive solution than usual for unknown numbers.
Image | Xataka
in Xataka | I think twice before answering a call with “yes.” And I have good reasons for this.
Donald Salinas is an experienced automobile journalist and writer for Div Bracket. He brings his readers the latest news and developments from the world of automobiles, offering a unique and knowledgeable perspective on the latest trends and innovations in the automotive industry.