Scam alert: beware of missed calls from unknown numbers

A member of the newsroom just got a missed call from the Comoro Islands, a group of volcanic islands, situated off the south-east coast of Africa.

Last night they had a missed call from Chad, while others have been getting calls from Liberia, Somalia, Liberia, Chad, Nauru, Vanuatu and other particularly far-flung places.

It's not that they know anyone there, it's that there's a particularly clever but common scam that's been doing the rounds lately known as Wangiri fraud.

Mobile phone operators are warning customers not to return calls from unknown international numbers or they will be charged premium rates on their bill, or have their credit wiped out.

The Irish Cellular Industry Association (ICIA) has issued a warning to customers in the past advising not to return calls.

Scammers buy a range of numbers and then use automated machines to make quick missed calls to different numbers. The phone usually never rings more than three times.

Do not call the number back. It if is legitimate, then the caller will leave a voicemail.

Particular care should be taken when responding to calls from unknown numbers beginning with +247, +269, or +235.