This is definitely not just a South African problem, and phone fraud has hundreds of variations, all of which affect consumers all around the globe. It’s always important to exercise caution when dealing with the unknown. If there’s a way to scam you, rest assured, the scammers will try it at one point or another.
These short, enigmatic calls are a worldwide epidemic, costing consumers billions each and every year. These fraudsters aren’t just a couple of losers sitting around in a garage somewhere – they operate on an industrial scale, using automated dialling machines to get through a gigantic range of phone numbers, calling thousands every minute. They don’t play around with targeting specific individuals, and blocking the numbers doesn’t really seem to help. A new number pops up a couple of days later.
So, what are the network giants in South Africa doing about it?
In speaking to MyBroadband, Vodacom, MTN and Cell C have warned their customers that they will only be billed if they return the call. There is no danger in answering these calls from international numbers, except, of course, to be wary of whoever is on the other end. Never give out any personal information.
It is unlikely that you will answer these calls in time, as the very purpose is to get you to call back. To be one step ahead, simply don’t call any numbers that you don’t recognise. If it’s important, they will call back and wait for you to answer.
MTN has said that it is monitoring these calls daily, and is suspending as many of the numbers as possible so that customers can’t dial them. The company is also working alongside carrier services and originating operators to clamp down on fraud.
Vodacom, likewise, has been blocking all numbers reported, but can’t stop them fast enough.