New Phone Scam

Phone scams are nothing new. Quite frankly, I'm sick of them. My cellphone is constantly ringing off the hook. So if I don't answer you, it's nothing personal.

One thing I can promise you, is if you call me from the area code 473, I will absolutely not answer your call because 473 has SCAM written all over it.

How the scammers get you is through curiosity. It starts when 473 calls, it rings once, then hangs up. First thing I would think is, "who is calling me?" and probably call right back. Or maybe 473 calls and lets it ring for a little while, you answer and then they hang up. 473 has someone making noises on the other end when you answer who makes you think, "oh my, someone is in trouble! I better call back and make sure they are OK!"

DON'T DO IT!

Here is why:

1. Area Code 473 may seem domestic, but it is far from it. It was created in the 1990s for the islands of Grenada, Carriacou, and Petite Martinique. It uses the country code 1 as we do in the United States, but that doesn't mean the call is domestic.

2. If you answer the call, you could be charged up to $20 for the first minute!

3. 473 isn't the only area code to look out for. 809, 284, 649 and 876 all fall under this category.

Trust me, BEWARE!  Best practice is if it is a number you do not recognize, let it go to voicemail. If they don't leave a voicemail, they obviously had nothing good to say.