In the age of global connectivity, phone scams have evolved in increasingly sophisticated ways. One of the most common and dangerous in recent years is the Timo Wangiri, a scam that can affect you with just one missed call. Here’s what it is, how to recognize it and what to do to protect yourself.
What is Timo Wangiri?
The Wangiri scam is an international telephone scam that consists of having the user return a missed call to a foreign premium rate number. The term “Wangiri” comes from Japanese and means “one call and hang up”, which perfectly describes the modus operandi of this scam.
Fraudsters use automated systems to make brief calls that hang up after one or two rings. The intention is that the victim will see a missed call from an unknown number (often with unusual international prefixes) and decide to return it out of curiosity or concern.
When returning the call, the user is redirected to a premium rate number, where they are charged per minute or per connection, often at high rates. In some cases, the call is kept active with automatic recordings or prolonged silences to increase the duration and cost.
How to recognize a Wangiri scam?
Here are some signs to identify Timo Wangiri:
- Missed calls from unknown international numbers, especially with exotic prefixes or from countries with which you have no relationship (such as +225, +223, +234, +248, etc.).
- Only a very brief tone or call, which hangs up before you can answer.
- When returning the call, you hear nothing clear or a garbled automatic message.
- Some users report several similar calls in a short period of time.
Which countries are usually used in Timo Wangiri?
Scammers often use numbers from countries with high telephone rates. Some of the most common prefixes in these scams include:
- +225 (Ivory Coast)
- +234 (Nigeria)
- +355 (Albania)
- +257 (Burundi)
- +676 (Tonga)
- +248 (Seychelles)
- +222 (Mauritania)
This does not mean that all numbers from these countries are fraudulent, but if you receive calls from them for no reason, exercise extreme caution.
What to do if you receive a suspicious call?
- Do not answer or return calls from unknown numbers, especially if they are international and have only called once.
- Block the number from your mobile if you identify it as suspicious.
- Inform your operator if you have returned the call and believe you have been a victim of the scam.
- Activate call filters or spam detection applications to avoid future scams.
- Check with official sources such as the Oficina de Seguridad del Internauta (OSI) or Incibe in Spain to report the number and get help.
What to do if you have already fallen into the Timo Wangiri?
If you returned the call and suspect that you have been charged:
- Contact your operator to inform you of the cost and claim undue charges.
- Request that calls and messages to international premium rate numbers be blocked.
- Report the number to authorities or collaborative platforms such as OSI to warn other users.
Conclusion
Timo Wangiri is a clear example of how an action as simple as returning a call can have economic consequences. The best defense is information and caution. Don’t answer unknown numbers, especially international ones, and keep an eye out for signs of this scam.
