Phone Scams Targeting International Students at UB

Your University Police and International Student Services have received reports of phone calls targeting international students, as part of a larger scam aimed at international students at universities across the United States. Students are advised to avoid answering and not call back.

UB students are reporting receiving up to 25 calls just in one day.

The U.S. Federal Communication Commission has designated this scam as the "One Ring" scam. They have published an advisory with instructions on filing a complaint if you are victimized by this scam. The Federal Communications Commission reports that these types of one-ring scam calls aren't necessarily new, but they can come at a price. These experts warn that if you call the number back you'll be charged a fee for connecting along with significant per-minute fees as long as you're on the phone.

• Don't answer or return any calls from numbers you don't recognize.
• Before calling unfamiliar numbers, check to see if the area code is international.
• If you do not make international calls, ask your phone company to block outgoing international calls on your line.
• Always be cautious, even if a number appears authentic.