International Telephone Number Scam Lawyers

You can end up paying a lot of money for an overseas call if you dial an unknown number.

Consumers may be enticed to dial foreign phone lines by advertisements and promotions. They might make informational or other promises (i.e., psychic readings, chat lines, etc.). If you dial, you can end up dialing a global “pay-per-call” number. A high phone bill could result from this.

Each nation sets its own phone tariffs, with no cap on the cost per minute. The companies running these advertisements give a percentage of the long-distance fee.

What Sort of Data Should I Have Before Calling?

Before dialing a strange phone number, there are a few things you need to be aware of:

• Determine the location of your call: Typically, you must first dial “011” before calling an international landline. Some places, however, merely ask you to call the area code and number. Although they can appear to be domestic long-distance numbers, they are actually international numbers.
• When shopping over the phone, use caution: Scams involving international phone numbers are similar to those with “900” numbers because you can purchase services by just dialing a number. However, the 900 Number Rule of the Federal Trade Commission governs domestic pay-per-call numbers. For overseas pay-per-call telephone numbers, these guidelines do not apply.
• Watch out for scams: There are many different ways to advertise foreign pay-per-call numbers. You can receive messages on your pager, email, or answering machine instructing you to phone a foreign number. You can be charged for the call on your phone bill if you answer it.

What Is Forbidden?

The 900 Number Rule forbids certain actions, such as billing customers for calling 800 or 888 numbers, unless they have pre-subscribed to a service.

When you phone a toll-free number, the company cannot immediately link you to a 900-number service (which may call you back at a collect rate).

Some businesses use toll-free numbers to extort money from customers for entertainment and information services.

• You could be requested to dial a number to be automatically charged.
• Even though some services are advertised as “free,” they may nonetheless charge you.
• You can be charged for calls to unrelated services (such as an international number).

It’s also possible to pay a “monthly club fee.”

How Might I Defend Myself?

When you see an advertisement for an information or entertainment service or get a call from one, keep these things in mind:

• Ads for services that state they are “not a 900 number,” “LD rates apply,” or “no premiums apply” should be taken with a grain of salt. These offerings might cost much more than 900 digits.
• Check your phone statement carefully for any amounts you do not recognize. If you notice any mistakes, get in touch with your phone company and long distance provider.
• Be cautious when using unfamiliar area codes (i.e., 809 for the Dominican Republic or 664 for Montserrat). By dialing the operator or looking them up in the phone book, you can find out where they are located.
• Inform your family that before phoning any long-distance services, they must have your consent (domestic or international). This is especially true for kids.

You can file a complaint with your state’s attorney general or the National Call Center of the Federal Communications Commission.

Understanding Phone Scams

Although there are many different types of phone scammers, most of them use the same threats and promises or ask you to make a certain kind of payment. These tips will help you spot a phone scam.

There Is No Reward

The caller may inform you that you have won the lottery or that you have been “chosen” for an offer. The gift, however, is not a prize if you have to pay to receive it.

No One Will Arrest You

Scammers may pose as members of the federal government or law enforcement. If you don’t pay your taxes or other debts on time, they could threaten you with arrest, a fine, or deportation.

Your fear is intended to induce payment. However, you won’t receive a call from actual police enforcement or federal agencies threatening you.

You Don’t Have to Choose Right Away

Before requesting a commitment, the majority of trustworthy organizations will allow you some time to consider their offer and obtain written information about it. Give it some time. Avoid feeling compelled to decide right away.

Sending Money or Using a Gift Card for Payment Is Never a Good Idea

Scammers frequently request payment through methods that make it difficult for you to get your money back, such as wire transfers, loading cash onto gift cards, prepaid cards, or cash reload cards, or utilizing money transfer apps. Anyone who requests payment in that manner is a con artist.

Governmental Organizations Won’t Contact You to Verify Your Private Information

Even if they claim to be from the IRS or the Social Security Administration, it’s never a smart idea to give up private information like your Social Security number to someone who contacts you unexpectedly.

Why Are You Getting So Many Calls?

A corporation needs your written consent to call you with a robocall if it is marketing something. Additionally, live sales calls from businesses you haven’t done business with before shouldn’t be made to you if you’re listed on the National Do Not Call Registry. These calls are forbidden.

There’s a significant likelihood the call is a scam if the person calling you is already breaking the law. It’s, at the very least, a business you don’t want to deal with.

Common Phone Scam Examples

A phone scam could be any scam. However, the following are some typical ruses employed by phone scammers:

• Impostor fraud: A con artist poses as someone you know and trust, such as an employee of a reputable organization like the Social Security Administration or the IRS, a member of your family, your romantic partner, or someone who claims your computer is broken. To further sway you, the con artist may even use a fictitious name or phone number to appear on your caller ID.
• Scams involving credit rehabilitation and debt relief: If you pay their business a fee upfront, con artists will promise to cut your credit card interest rates, repair your credit, or get your student debts erased. However, you run the risk of losing your money and damaging your credit.
• Scams in business and investing: Callers may offer you business advice, enormous rewards on investment, or assistance in starting your own company. Don’t believe anything they say. Learn about the FTC’s Business Opportunity Rule and consult your state’s securities regulator about investment options.
• Charitable fraud: Swindlers enjoy posing as charities. Scams asking for funds for disaster relief activities are particularly prevalent on the phone. Never give to a charity without first researching it, and never feel compelled to do it over the phone.
• Added-length auto warranties: The type of vehicle you drive and the date of purchase are discovered by con artists so they can persuade you to purchase expensive—or useless—service contracts.
• “Free” samples: When a caller offers you a free trial, they may actually sign you up for a number of things that are billed to your credit card each month until you cancel.

Do I Need a Lawyer with Knowledge of International Phone Scams?

You could find out if you are a target of an international phone number scam by consulting an entertainment attorney. A lawyer can also advise you on filing a complaint and whether there are any viable legal remedies.