A Japanese term for a worldwide technique
Wangiri (ワン切り) literally means "one (ring) and cut." An autodialer places a very high volume of calls, often through spoofed or international numbers, and hangs up automatically after a single ring. The goal isn't conversation — it's to generate a visible missed call, intriguing enough to make the victim call back voluntarily.
The callback trap
The number displayed is actually a premium-rate or revenue-share number. By calling back, the victim is connected to a line billed per minute at a very high rate — sometimes kept artificially on hold with a recorded message or music while the charges add up. Scamwatch has specifically warned Australians about unexpected missed calls from overseas numbers using this exact pattern.
Australia: what telcos have already blocked
The Mobile Premium Services Code, enforced by ACMA, requires clear pricing disclosure and spending caps on Australian premium-rate numbers — but wangiri calls typically route the callback to a number based overseas, outside ACMA's direct jurisdiction, which is why the advice is simply never to call back.
The premium-rate ranges this scam runs on
The scam only pays if the callback lands on a number that bills the caller. In Australia those numbers sit in a range the regulator has formally set aside for premium-rate services, which is exactly what makes the trick work: the phone rings once, you ring back, you are billed.
- Australia — ACMA: the 1900 range.
Egidio ships with this range built in and applies it as soon as the app is installed, without waiting for anyone to report a specific number. Rotating to a new number changes nothing: the call is still being placed from inside the range.
Wangiri
An automated single-ring call designed to trigger a voluntary callback from the victim to a premium-rate number.
Premium-rate number
A number billed at a high per-minute rate, often international, used as the callback destination.
Revenue share fraud
Artificially generated call traffic produces commissions paid back to the operator of the premium number and the organiser of the campaign.
What to do about a suspicious missed call
- Never call back an unknown number that rang only once.
- Check the country code before doing anything if the number looks foreign.
- Report it to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au or to your telco.
Frequently asked questions
What does "wangiri" mean?
It's a Japanese term meaning literally "one (ring) and cut" (ワン切り). It describes the technique of calling and hanging up after a single ring, to lure the victim into calling back. Scamwatch and Australian media commonly refer to it as the "missed call scam" or "one-ring scam".
Why can calling back an unknown number be expensive?
The number displayed is often an international premium-rate number. By calling back, the victim is connected to a service billed per minute at a very high rate, sometimes kept on the line artificially with a hold message.
What should I do if I get a very short missed call from an unknown or overseas number?
Do not call back. Check the country code before taking any action if the number looks international, and report the call to Scamwatch or your telco.