Wangiri scams are emerging as a significant threat in France, targeting mobile phone users. This tactic involves making a single call and quickly hanging up, luring victims into returning the call to a premium-rate number. Scammers exploit enticing voicemail messages to keep callers engaged and accumulate charges. To protect against these scams, individuals should refrain from calling back unknown numbers, use reverse directories, and report suspicious calls through designated channels.
The Rising Threat of Wangiri Scams in France
In today’s digital age, nearly every adult and teenager in France possesses a mobile phone. These indispensable smartphones have unfortunately become prime targets for cybercriminals and scammers. Various tactics are employed by these malicious individuals to harvest personal data, redirect victims to bogus websites, or orchestrate elaborate scams. Interestingly, the simplest strategies often yield the most significant results. Recently, the term ‘wangiri’ has been making waves in discussions about phone scams. While this term is relatively new to France, the underlying technique has been around for a while.
Understanding the Wangiri Scam: A Closer Look at Premium-Rate Numbers
The term ‘wangiri’ has its roots in Japanese, describing the act of ringing a phone once and quickly hanging up. This approach was once a playful way among friends to encourage a return call but has lost favor with the rise of unlimited calling plans. For scammers, the tactic remains the same: place a call and hang up swiftly, hoping to entice the curious victim into calling back. Unfortunately, the number displayed is a premium-rate line.
Typically, when a service incurs charges beyond the standard call cost, the caller should receive a notification at the start of the conversation. Scammers, however, disregard this rule. They acquire premium-rate numbers from telecommunications operators and subsequently bombard numerous individuals with calls. When someone returns the call, they are usually greeted by a voicemail featuring enticing messages, such as ‘please hold, a representative will assist you’ or false promises of prizes or package deliveries. The goal is to keep the victim on the line for as long as possible, racking up charges. Although this practice is now commonly referred to as ‘wangiri,’ it was previously known as a ‘ping call.’
To safeguard yourself against this type of phone scam, remember to avoid returning calls from unknown numbers that have only rung once. If you’re concerned about missing an important call, consider checking a reverse directory website. Additionally, there are various methods to filter these calls. While no solution is entirely foolproof, they can help mitigate risks. You can register your number with the Bloctel application, a public service initiative. Your mobile operator and even your smartphone can provide alerts for suspicious numbers. Don’t hesitate to report these calls by marking them as spam on your device or by texting ‘spamvocal’ to 33700 or visiting the site http://www.33700.fr. Your actions will contribute to the ongoing battle against these scams.