The wangiri missed-call phone scam targeting hundreds of Australians

Wangiri missed-call phone scams are becoming a major problem for people all across Australia.

With hundreds of Australians falling victim to the clever scam each month, authorities are warning the public to be vigilant when it comes to returning calls from numbers you don’t know. It’s the latest way scammers and hackers are ripping off innocent Aussies and in most cases, people aren’t even handing over their bank details or personal information.

Speaking on Seven News in Brisbane on Monday Evening, ACCC representative Delia Rickard said the scam was particularly worrying.

“They dial you, they let the phone ring once and they hang up,” she explained.

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The fraudulent calls are made from all around the world and usually from an overseas number. The numbers are unusually long and originate from an array of exotic countries including Papua New Guinea, Madagascar, Mozambique and Ascension Island, just to name a few. While nothing can happen if you don’t return the call, you could be hit with a large fee if you return the call.

Whenever anyone rings back the number, they’re typically hit with a premium fee. The scammer usually keeps a large chunk of the money they gain by ripping you off in the first place. Calling these numbers can be similar to calling a 1300 number, Seven News Brisbane reports.

Rickard said the scammers make more money by keeping you on the phone for as long as possible.

“They might try to engage you in conversation,” she warned. “Their goal is to have you call them and stay on the phone for as long as possible so they get the money.”

She said it was always best to ignore the calls.

“Don’t pick up and certainly don’t call back,” she warned.

In addition to ignoring the calls, there is a way to stop them. The best thing to do is to simply block a call from your mobile device. It’s usually as simple as clicking the “I” symbol next to the recent call and clicking on the “block caller” button. If you’re receiving the calls on a landline, the best thing to do is ignore the call and contact your telco to be placed on a blocking service.

Seven News said an array of apps were also available including Truecaller, Callblock and Sync.Me which allow people to block all numbers linked with telemarketing companies. If you have been targeted by a scam, it’s always best to contact your service provider. In some cases, they will be able to refund you the money you’ve been scammed out of.

What do you think? Have you been stung by one of these calls? Did it cost you a lot of money?