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Secret Service opens investigation after Action 9 report on 'one-ring' scam

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The U.S. Secret Service is now investigating a scam after hearing about it on WSOC-TV.

Action 9 investigator Jason Stoogenke has been following what's called, the "one-ring" scam.  

A Secret Service agent saw the report, asked Stoogenke for details, took notes and said he planned to open an investigation by assigning an agent to the case.

Here's how the scam works.  

The con artists call your cellphone, let it ring once and hang up.  

If you call back, you get charged as soon as you do -- typically $19.95 the first minute, $9 every minute after.  

Apparently, callers hear music and ads, designed to kill time, keep them on the phone longer, waiting for a human to pick up.

A lot of people may fall for it because the number looks legit, like a 10-digit U.S. number, but it's really from the Caribbean.  

Eyewitness News originally counted five countries in particular.  

The Federal Trade Commission sent Action 9 something recently, listing 10 area codes:  268, 284, 473, 664, 649, 767, 809, 829, 849 and 876.

Read Action 9's original story on the scam, here.