Don't be the next victim of 'one ring' phone scam - Internet Safety advocate warn users

In a bid to prevent cyber crimes in society and create a safe online environment for all users, a renowned advocate of cyber safety, Rotimi Onadipe, on Saturday, warned users of mobile phones to be careful of strange calls from cyber criminals who are desperately searching for their prey.

In his weekly broadcast to educate users globally about how to avoid online risks, Onadipe noted that being aware of the tricks used by cybercriminals is an effective way of preventing users from falling victim.

He said: "I have discovered recently that many people are still ignorant about the danger in answering or calling back unknown phone numbers which in most cases are from cyber criminals."

According to him, "It is a very common scam and it is known as "One Ring Phone Scam." Many people have fallen victim to it because they were not informed about how it works and how they can avoid it.

"Be informed that when your phone rings once and stops, you should not call back if the phone number is unknown to you. You must investigate the phone number so that you don't become the next victim of "One Ring" Phone Scam.

"If the call is from a cyber criminal and you call back the unknown phone number without proper investigation, the cyber criminal can illegally connect your phone number to a different phone number belonging to another individual or organisation and use it for criminal purposes, leaving you as a suspect of crime which you know nothing about."

"So, to avoid falling victim, don't call back any unknown number but investigate the phone number first. If you are suspicious, report the phone number immediately to relevant agencies for urgent action," Onadipe added.