The +371 international calling code, associated with Latvia, has been linked in reports to Wangiri-style callback scams targeting mobile users, including subscribers in East Africa. In this type of scam, fraudsters place brief or one-ring calls from unfamiliar international numbers and disconnect before the recipient can answer.
Recipients who return the missed call may be connected or redirected to expensive international or premium-rate services, resulting in unusually high calling charges. Wangiri scams generally rely on persuading victims to voluntarily return an unfamiliar missed call, allowing scammers to profit from the resulting charges.
The +371 prefix itself is Latvia’s legitimate international calling code and should not be considered fraudulent on its own. The concern relates only to individual numbers that may be misused for callback scams, and mobile users are advised to avoid returning unfamiliar international missed calls unless they can verify the caller.
Reported 9 Feb 2026
