A single ring, then nothing. On the screen, a missed call from an unknown numberMany people, intrigued, immediately call back.

This is precisely what the authors of the so-called “slurs”, a Japanese word meaning “one call and hang up”.

Behind this seemingly harmless stratagem lies a fraud very expensive telephone: the callback redirects to a premium rate line, often located abroad, with a rate of up to €1,40 per minute.

Scammers exploit the element of surprise and curiosity. Calls often come at night or during work hours, when people are less available. Some come from nearby countries, such as Haiti (+509), which maintains the confusion for those actually expecting a call from thereThe trap closes as soon as you dial the number, and the bill quickly mounts without any real conversation taking place.

Faced with the resurgence of these practices, the European authorities, relayed by Europol, call for vigilance. A legitimate call usually leaves a message or attempts to return a call. If in doubt, it is strongly recommended not to call back an unknown number. Any suspicious attempt can be reported to the 33 700, by SMS or screenshot, in order to alert telephone operators.

In a context where scammers are perfecting their methods, the best defense remains caution: a missed call is not always insignificant. It's better to refrain from calling back than to fall into the trap.

Source: Faxinfo https://faxinfo.fr/en/fraude-arnaque-telephonique-vigilance-face-au-wangiri/