BBB Wants To Alert Acadiana About “Cramming”

If you get a call, it rings once, don't call it back.  And if you see a number on your caller ID that you don't recognize, don't call it back either; it could be a scam.

The Better Business Bureau of Acadiana is warning residents about the 'One Ring Scam'.

If you call back a number that you don't know, the BBB says there is good chance it will connect you to a paid international adult entertainment service, 'chat' line, or other premium service outside of America.

You get popped on your phone bill with a $19.95 charge for an international call, along with per minute charges that can in some case be $9 a minute or more.

The Acadiana BBB says the practice of third parties placing unauthorized charges on wireless accounts is called 'cramming'.

The Federal Communications Commission and the Federal Trade Commission have both received thousands of complaints about 'cramming', and they say the problem is likely to continue.

Consumers who have complained say they see area codes come up on caller ID from:

• Antigua or Barbuda (268)
• Dominican Republic (809)
• Jamaica (876)
• British Virgin Islands (284)
• Grenada (473)

So how do you prevent yourself from being scammed?  Here are some tips from the BBB:

• If you don't recognize an out-of-state telephone number on your caller ID, ignore it and if you do answer, do not call back.
• Check your cell phone bills carefully and inform your carrier if you spot any unauthorized charges. The earlier you document this and other frauds, the better your chances of having some or all of the charges removed.
• Check out the business with BBB before doing business.