Insights

Somos Soundbytes - Fraud Fighters Unite S1E3: One-Ring Fraud with Terry Powell

Oct 01, 2024

Another day, another example of fraudsters getting creative to take money from the pockets of unwitting victims. In this episode of Somos Soundbytes, Jamie Zetterstrom sat down with Terry Powell, a leading industry expert from Lumen, to discuss the ins-and-outs of Wangiri fraud, also known as one-ring fraud.

Wangiri fraud involves spoofing International Premium Rate Numbers (IPRNs) and making one-ring calls to prompt victims to call back, incurring high fees in the process. Scammers use recordings to keep victims on the line, maximizing charges. The technique is a cousin of sorts to International Revenue Share Fraud (IRSF) and is carried out by many of the same perpetrators. Despite changes in telecom, Wangiri fraud remains effective, with fraudsters profiting from even a small percentage of callbacks.

Lumen is currently collaborating with international carriers to work toward eliminating this kind of fraud—but in the meantime, Terry advised consumers to avoid returning unfamiliar calls, especially if they only ring once. For more information, Terry encouraged joining the Communications Fraud Control Association (CFCA), which offers resources like a fraud dictionary and best practices.