Cell phones in the Baltimore Metropolitan area are being targeted in a new “missed call” phone scam.
If you receive a missed call from a 268 area code or other unknown number, your phone may have been targeted. Do not call the number back.
How the Scam Works
Scammers use an auto-dialer to call your cell phone, then hang up after one ring. The scam phone number then shows up as a missed call on your phone.
Scammers use an auto-dialer to call your cell phone, then hang up after one ring. The scam phone number then shows up as a missed call on your phone.
If you call the number back, you will be connected to a pay-by-minute phone line (usually an adult entertainment service) that will charge $9 or more per minute directly to your cell phone bill. Since these numbers are based overseas, you may also be charged a steep international call fee.
What You Can Do
Baltimore County Police Department has confirmed that numbers with a 268 area code are currently targeting County-owned phones. In addition, the Better Business Bureau warns that missed calls from the following area codes are known to be involved in the scam.
If you receive a missed call from one of these area codes, do not call it back:
- 268
- 284
- 473
- 809
- 876
Always be suspicious of missed calls from numbers you don’t know – especially if they don’t leave a voicemail. Internet resources such as whocalled.us track complaints about specific phone numbers and may help you determine if the missed call is legitimate or not.
Baltimore County Police Department is currently working with the County’s cell phone service provider to block known scam numbers from calling County-owned phones.