# Phone scams: is there (still) a danger of being billed just for pressing 1? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 18, 2022, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-scams-is-there-still-a-danger-of-being-billed-just-for-pressing-1/957986 "2022-01-18T11:02:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-scams-is-there-still-a-danger-of-being-billed-just-for-pressing-1/957986/1 "2022-01-18T11:02:02Z")
Most scam phone calls are just ordinary phishing, getting the victim to reveal a credit card number or some other info to a “live” operator. The initial, automated part asking the victim to press 1 is just to skim out the nonbelievers and connect the more gullible victims to a “live” operator, who can then proceed to reel them in. So there is no consequence to pressing 1 if you know what you’re doing and want to waste the scammer’s time; we’ve all seen examples of that on YouTube. My recollection: about 20 years ago, there were a fraction of scam calls where the idea was only to get the victim (person V) to press the 1 button; the system would then hang up on V after a few seconds. The idea was to mechanically add Touch-Tone codes after that 1 to establish a long-distance phone call between two other people, A and B. Somehow, through the magic of the telephone billing system, the fact that the initial 1 was pressed by V **made V liable for the cost of the call between A and B**. The scheme was complex enough that it was only worth it for expensive overseas calls between, say, Sudan and Azerbaijan. 1. I don’t know if the above was ever true, or just an urban legend. 2. If the above was true in the past, is it still true today ? In other words, is there a financial “danger” in pressing 1 as a response to an automated scam call ? ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-scams-is-there-still-a-danger-of-being-billed-just-for-pressing-1/957986/2 "2022-01-18T12:23:10Z")
While that may have been a danger in the past, the problem with pressing 1 (or any other number) is that, by doing so, you have confirmed that that particular number is directly tied to a real person. That information is valuable to phone scammers, because a list of such numbers can be used and/or sold. Even if you think you are being clever by pressing that number for a chance to screw/yell at/berate the live operator that might pick up, all you have done is pretty much guarantee many more phone calls in the future. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-scams-is-there-still-a-danger-of-being-billed-just-for-pressing-1/957986/3 "2022-01-18T12:33:54Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > Even if you think you are being clever by pressing that number for a chance to screw/yell at/berate the live operator that might pick up, all you have done is pretty much guarantee many more phone calls in the future. - There must be other factors in play. I answer every call (and screw with scammers as much as possible) and still only get 3-5 calls a month,sometimes less. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-scams-is-there-still-a-danger-of-being-billed-just-for-pressing-1/957986/4 "2022-01-18T14:51:28Z")
I get the impression that they don’t target numbers known to be tied to real people but instead just call all possible numbers. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-scams-is-there-still-a-danger-of-being-billed-just-for-pressing-1/957986/5 "2022-01-18T14:52:39Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I get the impression that they don’t target numbers known to be tied to real people but instead just call all possible numbers. - In that case, I should be getting a constant stream. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-scams-is-there-still-a-danger-of-being-billed-just-for-pressing-1/957986/6 "2022-01-18T14:53:52Z")
Why? You said you answer all of these calls so if they really were targeting numbers tied to real people you would be getting a constant stream but my suspicion is that they are _not_ targeting numbers known to be tied to real people. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-scams-is-there-still-a-danger-of-being-billed-just-for-pressing-1/957986/7 "2022-01-18T14:56:32Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Why? You said you answer all of these calls so if they really were targeting numbers tied to real people you would be getting a constant stream but my suspicion is that they are _not_ targeting numbers known to be tied to real people. - But if they’re targeting all numbers, then I should get more calls. If not, why do some people say they get numerous calls every day? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-scams-is-there-still-a-danger-of-being-billed-just-for-pressing-1/957986/8 "2022-01-18T14:57:41Z")
I have no idea. I was just speculating, partly based on the fact that the Chinese language calls don’t seem to be targeted in any way. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-scams-is-there-still-a-danger-of-being-billed-just-for-pressing-1/957986/9 "2022-01-18T15:01:05Z")
Anyway, back the OP, this seem apocryphal. If all it took was hearing the tones associated with the number 1 after someone picks up, they could easily wait for you to pick up and then send those tones. Once you’re connected, I don’t think there’s a way to tell who pressed the button. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2022, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-scams-is-there-still-a-danger-of-being-billed-just-for-pressing-1/957986/10 "2022-01-18T15:56:11Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > While that may have been a danger in the past, the problem with pressing 1 (or any other number) is that, by doing so, you have confirmed that that particular number is directly tied to a real person. That information is valuable to phone scammers, because a list of such numbers can be used and/or sold. I kind of doubt this. ITSM that the set of people who have pressed 1 can be assumed to be someone who is: - a failed scamming target, and thus known to be resistant to scamming - a successful scamming target, and likely resistant to a repeat attempt, or - a prankster therefore, in a game where you need to contact as many marks per hour, you want to avoid already-called numbers because they’re more likely to be a time sink. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-scams-is-there-still-a-danger-of-being-billed-just-for-pressing-1/957986/11 "2022-01-20T00:45:05Z")
A few times a year, I will get a call that has an automated message saying that there is a suspicious charge on my credit for such and such (a few hundred dollars up to a couple thousand) and if I wish to deny it, press 1. So I press 1 and then they ask me to stay on the line. And then…nothing and the call is eventually hung up. What’s going on there? The first time it happened I called the bank and there was no mysterious charge. Since then, I have hung on trying to find out what the scam is, but I’ve never got to talk to a live “agent”. All in all, I don’t get many scam phone calls. But oh my, the phishing emails I get. The number of people who claim they wanted to gift me several million dollars is just incredible. Always to an email address I haven’t actually used in five years (but it is still alive for forwarding). ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/phone-scams-is-there-still-a-danger-of-being-billed-just-for-pressing-1/957986/12 "2022-01-20T00:51:50Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > A few times a year, I will get a call that has an automated message saying that there is a suspicious charge on my credit for such and such (a few hundred dollars up to a couple thousand) and if I wish to deny it, press 1. **So I press 1 and then they ask me to stay on the line. And then…nothing and the call is eventually hung up.** - You get put in a queue but get booted if the scammer takes one of the other calls.