10 phone numbers you should never answer as you WILL lose money

Experts say the numbers are often used by scammers and you can be charged just for picking up the phone

Scam phone calls are a common tactic used by fraudsters to trick people into sharing their personal information but experts say there is a simple way to avoid falling victim as certain area codes are more likely to be associated with scams than others. Jordan Parkes, a tech expert from 1 Click Marketing, has warned to never answer these phone calls or risk losing your hard-earned money.

"Fraudsters might call you, but hang up as soon as you answer. It's probably just an automated dialer, not a real person,” warns the expert. “This will show up as a missed call, and many people might call back thinking it's urgent.

“Be careful of calls from numbers that start with 0945, 0843 or 070. These often have premium-rate charges that can be extremely high,” says Jordan. “You can get charged just for answering the call, even if you don’t speak to anyone.

“In some cases, they’ll keep you on the line with a message to increase the charges,” says the expert. In addition, the expert listed some of the other numbers to watch out for. These are 845, 076, 084, 087, 090, 091, and 118.

“Remember, don’t answer a call from an unknown number, especially if it starts with one of the listed area codes. If you receive a missed call from a suspicious number, don't call back. Instead, try searching the number online to see if it's associated with scams,” recommends the expert.

"Staying vigilant and not answering unfamiliar numbers, especially those with area codes tied to premium-rate charges, can protect you from unnecessary losses," says the expert.

Additionally, the expert recommends regularly checking your phone bill for any unusual charges and reporting any suspicious activity to your service provider.