The Guardia Civil has issued a new warning about a telephone scam that is reappearing with force in Spain. This is the well-known ‘missed call scam’, a fraudulent method that has caused numerous financial losses to people throughout the country. This scam takes advantage of users’ carelessness and, through international numbers, makes calls with a single ring.
How does this scam work?
The methodology of the fraud is simple but effective. Criminals make short calls, often from countries such as Albania, Ivory Coast, Ghana, and Nigeria, using the prefixes 355, 225, 233, and 234, respectively. When users see the missed call, they return the call out of curiosity, and that is when they fall into the trap, facing extremely high rates per minute on their phone bill, part of which ends up in the pockets of the scammers.
In light of this situation, the Guardia Civil recommends being cautious. If you receive a missed call from an international number with one of these prefixes, it is safest not to return the call, unless you are expecting news from someone you know in one of these countries. Remaining cautious and always verifying the origin of the call before taking any action is crucial to avoiding this type of scam.
The economic impact of this type of crime is considerable. These fraudulent calls can result in significant charges on telephone bills, affecting both individuals and small businesses. In a context where every euro counts, these illegal practices add a new economic and security challenge for Spaniards.