Antarctica latest Wangiri phone scam destination targeting UAE residents

Consumers are being warned not to be caught out by phone scams from far-flung destinations such as Antarctica that could leave them with a huge bill.

UAE residents reported receiving a series of calls from Antarctica, the tiny Pacific island of Nauru and Luxembourg in the past week.

Experts have warned phone users against returning missed phone calls from overseas numbers they don't recognise.

Users can be charged up to $50 per minute if they return the call.

Dubbed the Wangiri scam, those behind the scam have targeted phone users across the globe. Wangiri translates to ‘one ring and cut’ in Japan, where it first began.

The phone calls are usually disconnected after a few rings prompting the receiver to call back.

The method used by fraudsters involves routing people who ring back to a premium rate number. The callers are unable to disconnect as they are locked into an automated recorded message until it runs out after a few minutes.

The scam works by keeping the caller on the phone for a prolonged period connected to premium rate numbers.

The Telecommunications Regulatory Authority has urged residents to file any complaints with the service providers directly.

Both du and Etisalat have told residents to phone customer care services if they suspected hoax calls.

Residents have previously been targeted by fraudsters who promise to award them large sums of money while asking for bank details and personal information.

In a public advisory, du asked customers not to entertain calls from people they did not know, to be aware of fraudulent calls and to decline to divulge bank details.

The National