Beware of 473 Area Code Scam

Wednesday morning I received a call during the Hawk Morning Show, but my phone was in my office and I didn't pick up. I've never been more grateful that I didn't have my cell with me than I am today.

After the show, I went into my office and picked up my cell and I noticed that I'd received a call from a 473 area code and my phone indicated that the call originated from Grenada. I don't know anyone in Grenada. Not Grenada, Mississippi and certainly not Grenada the island. I decided to check out the number before calling back and I'm glad that I did.

Turns out there's a scam going around and it's based out of Grenada (the island).  According to The Blaze, people who miss a call from a 473 area code should not call the number back because it could be the "473 scam," which means calling back could cost you $20.

People have been reporting that they've received calls from a 473 area code and that they've heard moaning and groaning on the other end of the line before the phone goes dead. People who call back get charged $19.95 because the number functions like a 1-900 number.

One person wrote on the forum 800notes saying: "It's a sex phone line scammer using a foreign country (Grenada) for his scam. They ring your phone and hope you are curious or upset enough to call their Grenada telephone number, which is outside the reach of US authorities. That's an unregulated pay-per-minute sex line (or just a recording saying to hold interminably) while they charge an ungodly fee to your phone line, plus the cost of an international call."

You've been warned!