The Ultimate Guide to the 245 Area Code: Scams, Costs, and How to Protect Yourself

An unexpected call from an unfamiliar number can be unsettling. When that number begins with a three-digit code that looks like a U.S. area code but isn’t, suspicion quickly turns to concern. A call from the “245 area code” is a prime example of this modern-day nuisance, often serving as the first step in a sophisticated web of international phone scams. For any U.S. resident who has received such a call, understanding its origin, the potential risks involved, and the steps to take for protection is paramount.

This comprehensive report provides a definitive analysis of the 245 code. It will demystify its true origin, dissect the anatomy of its phone numbers, and delve deep into the mechanics of the prevalent phone scams that exploit it and similar international codes. Furthermore, this guide offers practical, step-by-step instructions on how to call this country legitimately, the associated costs with major U.S. carriers, and, most importantly, how to block these unwanted calls and report fraudulent activity to the proper authorities.

 

The “245 Area Code” Mystery Solved: It’s Not Where You Think

 

The initial point of confusion for most U.S. residents is the term “245 area code.” In the context of the North American Numbering Plan (NANP), which serves the United States, Canada, and parts of the Caribbean, “area code” refers to a three-digit prefix that follows the country code +1. However, the 245 code does not fall under this system.

The number 245 is the international country calling code for the West African nation of Guinea-Bissau. The plus sign (

+) that precedes the number is the standard international format to indicate that the digits that follow are a country code, not a domestic area code. This distinction is critical because the visual similarity between a three-digit country code like

+245 and a U.S. area code is the primary psychological tool that international phone scammers exploit. Official reports from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) confirm that “one-ring” scams frequently use international numbers from regions with three-digit codes that “look like they’re from inside the U.S.” to lull recipients into a false sense of security. The very query “245 area code” reveals the effectiveness of this deception. By immediately clarifying this fundamental misunderstanding, consumers can begin to deconstruct the scam’s core mechanism.

 

Geographical and Political Context of Guinea-Bissau

 

Guinea-Bissau is a sovereign state located on the Atlantic coast of West Africa, covering an area of approximately 36,125 square kilometers, which includes the Bijagós Archipelago. Its capital and largest city is Bissau, which is situated on the Geba River estuary and serves as the nation’s major port, administrative center, and seat of government. Other significant cities and towns include Bafatá, Gabú, Canchungo, and Cacheu. The country has faced a history of political instability since gaining independence. Understanding the location of Guinea-Bissau helps contextualize why a call from this country to a U.S. resident would be unexpected and, therefore, suspicious.

 

The Anatomy of a Guinea-Bissau Phone Number (+245)

 

To fully grasp how calls from Guinea-Bissau are structured and to identify them accurately, it is essential to understand the country’s National Numbering Plan (NNP). This technical framework, documented by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), governs how phone numbers are assigned and formatted within the country.

 

National Numbering Plan (NNP) Structure

 

Guinea-Bissau operates under a closed, nine-digit numbering plan. This means that every local telephone number within the country consists of nine digits.

• Calling Format: For calls made from within Guinea-Bissau, the full nine-digit number must be dialed. For international calls originating from outside the country, callers must first dial their country’s international exit code (e.g.,

  011 from the United States), followed by the country code for Guinea-Bissau (245), and then the complete nine-digit local number.
• Technical Format: The international format is represented as +245 SABPQMCDU, where +245 is the country code and SABPQMCDU is the nine-digit National (Significant) Number, or N(S)N. This N(S)N is further composed of a National Destination Code (NDC) and a Subscriber Number (SN).

 

Fixed-Line vs. Mobile Prefixes

 

A key identifier within the Guinea-Bissau numbering plan is the first digit of the nine-digit number, which distinguishes between fixed-line (landline) and mobile services.

• Fixed-Line (Landline) Numbers: Landline numbers in Guinea-Bissau begin with the digit 4. The primary operator for these services is Guiné Telecom, and a common prefix for landlines, particularly in cities like Bissau, Bafatá, and Gabú, is

  44.
• Mobile Numbers: All mobile numbers in Guinea-Bissau begin with the digit 9. This is a crucial piece of information for anyone receiving an unsolicited call, as it almost certainly indicates the call is from a mobile phone.

 

Mobile Operator Prefixes

 

The nine-digit mobile numbers are further categorized by prefixes assigned to the country’s major mobile operators. Identifying the prefix can help determine the network from which a call originated.

This level of detail provides actionable intelligence. For instance, a person receiving a missed call from +245 96... can determine that the call likely originated from a mobile phone on the Spacetel Guiné-Bissau (MTN) network. This transforms a generic concern about an unknown number into a specific, identifiable piece of data, which is the first step toward understanding the nature of the call.

 

“Who Called Me from +245?” – The High Stakes of Unsolicited International Calls

 

Receiving an unexpected call from an international number like +245 is rarely an accidental wrong number; it is very often the initial phase of a phone scam. The most common scheme associated with such calls is the “one-ring” or “Wangiri” scam.

 

The “One-Ring” (Wangiri) Scam Explained

 

The term “Wangiri” is Japanese for “one-ring-and-cut,” which perfectly describes the scam’s mechanics. Scammers use automated dialing systems to place thousands of calls to random phone numbers across the globe. The phone is programmed to ring just once—long enough to register as a missed call on the recipient’s device—and then hang up.

The strategy preys on human curiosity. The recipient sees a missed call from an unfamiliar number and, believing it might be a legitimate call that was disconnected or an important matter, is tempted to call back. This is precisely what the scammer wants.

 

The Financial Trap of the Callback

 

The moment a victim calls the number back, the financial trap is sprung. The number is not a standard international line but a premium-rate number, functionally similar to the “900” numbers that were once common in the United States. When the call connects, the victim is immediately subjected to high charges, including:

• A Connection Fee: A flat fee simply for establishing the call.
• Per-Minute Charges: Exorbitant per-minute rates that can be as high as $30 or even $50 per minute.

The scammer’s goal is to keep the victim on the line for as long as possible to maximize these charges. They often employ automated messages like, “Hello, you’ve reached the operator, please hold,” or play music to prolong the call.

The business model behind this scam is a form of telecommunications arbitrage that exploits the complex billing agreements between international carriers. When a U.S. consumer calls a foreign premium-rate number, their domestic carrier (e.g., Verizon, AT&T) must pay a high “termination fee” to the international carrier that hosts the scammer’s number. The foreign carrier then shares a portion of this inflated fee with the scammer, who owns the premium line. This sophisticated manipulation of the global telecom billing system is what makes the one-ring scam a lucrative criminal enterprise.

 

A Global Menace: The Scammer’s Playbook and High-Risk Country Codes

 

While a call from Guinea-Bissau (+245) fits the profile of a potential scam, it is part of a much broader global problem. The one-ring scam is not limited to a single country; scammers utilize a range of international codes, particularly those that can be easily mistaken for U.S. area codes.

 

Official Warnings and High-Risk Codes

 

Both the FTC and the FCC have issued numerous public warnings about the one-ring scam, highlighting its prevalence and the financial danger it poses to consumers. These agencies have identified several country codes that are frequently implicated in these schemes. A crucial observation is that many of these codes belong to Caribbean nations that are part of the NANP but use their own country codes, or have codes that are visually similar to U.S. domestic codes.

It is important to note that while +245 (Guinea-Bissau) is not on the most frequently cited lists from U.S. federal agencies, the principles of caution apply to any unsolicited call from an unknown international number. Scammers are agile and can shift their operations to new country codes to evade detection. The tactics remain the same regardless of the country of origin.

Below is a consolidated list of international country codes that have been commonly associated with one-ring and other phone scams, based on reports from government agencies and consumer protection groups.

 

Advanced Psychological Tactics

 

Beyond simply hoping for a callback, scammers employ a range of psychological tactics to keep victims on the phone once they connect, thereby maximizing the per-minute charges. These include:

• The Bad Connection Ploy: The scammer might use a recording that says something like, “Hello? I can’t hear you, can you call back?” to trick the victim into making a second costly call.
• The “Secret Admirer” Scam: A recording plays music and claims it’s a gift from a secret admirer, promising to reveal their identity at the end of the song. This is designed purely to keep the line open and the charges accumulating.
• The “Distress Call” Scam: A more malicious tactic involves playing a recording of someone crying or in distress, sometimes using AI to mimic a loved one’s voice. This triggers a fear-based response, making the victim less likely to hang up.

 

Beyond the One-Ring: Caller ID Spoofing and Impersonation Scams

 

The one-ring scam is just one tool in a much larger arsenal of telephone fraud. Modern scammers have become adept at using technology to appear more credible, leading to even more dangerous forms of deception.

 

Caller ID Spoofing: The Mask of Deception

 

Caller ID spoofing is a technique that allows scammers to deliberately falsify the phone number and name that appear on the recipient’s caller ID display. A scammer could be calling from a call center in another continent, but they can make the incoming call appear as if it’s from:

• A Local Number: Using the recipient’s own area code and prefix (“neighbor spoofing”) to increase the likelihood they will answer.
• A Government Agency: Displaying the legitimate phone number of an agency like the IRS or the Social Security Administration (SSA).
• Your Own Phone Number: A tactic known as “reflection spoofing,” designed to confuse the recipient into answering.

This technology effectively renders caller ID an unreliable method for verifying a caller’s identity. A call appearing to be from +1 (202)... (Washington, D.C.) could easily originate from +245 (Guinea-Bissau) or anywhere else.

 

Impersonation Scams: Preying on Fear and Trust

 

Once a scammer gets a victim on the phone, often through spoofing, they shift to impersonation scams. These are designed to create a sense of extreme urgency or fear to compel the victim to divulge personal information or send money. Common impersonation tactics include:

• Government Agency Scams: The caller claims to be from the IRS, threatening arrest for unpaid taxes, or from the SSA, threatening to suspend benefits if personal information like a Social Security number is not “verified”. The SSA has explicitly stated its employees will never threaten recipients or promise a benefit increase in exchange for information. Often, scammers will spoof the real SSA toll-free number,

  1-800-772-1213, to appear legitimate.
• Business and Bank Scams: Scammers may pose as representatives from Amazon, claiming there is suspicious activity on an account, or from the victim’s bank, warning of fraudulent charges. They may also impersonate utility companies and threaten to shut off service if an immediate payment is not made.
• AI-Powered “Grandparent Scams”: This is an emerging and particularly cruel evolution of the classic “distress call” scam. Scammers use artificial intelligence to create a “voice clone” of a victim’s loved one (often a grandchild) from just a small audio sample found online. The victim then receives a call from their “grandchild,” who sounds authentic and claims to be in trouble (e.g., arrested, in an accident) and in desperate need of money for bail or legal fees.

This progression from simple robocalls to AI-powered deepfakes illustrates a clear technological arms race. As authorities and carriers develop technical solutions like the STIR/SHAKEN framework to authenticate caller IDs , scammers are shifting to more advanced social engineering tactics that are harder to combat with technology alone. This underscores the growing importance of consumer education and behavioral changes—such as establishing a secret “safe word” with family members for emergencies—as a critical line of defense.

 

A Practical Guide to Calling Guinea-Bissau: Dialing Instructions & Cost Analysis

 

While caution is warranted, there may be legitimate reasons to contact someone in Guinea-Bissau. For those who need to make a call, understanding the correct dialing procedure and the associated costs is essential to avoid unexpected and exorbitant charges.

 

How to Call Guinea-Bissau from the USA

 

To place a call to a number in Guinea-Bissau from the United States, follow this three-step process:

1. Dial the U.S. International Exit Code: This code is 011. It signals to the telephone network that you are making an international call.
2. Dial the Country Code for Guinea-Bissau: The country code is 245.
3. Dial the Full Nine-Digit Local Number: After the country code, dial the complete nine-digit phone number for the person or business you are trying to reach.

For example, to call the mobile number 955-123-456 in Guinea-Bissau, you would dial: 011-245-955-123-456.

 

Comparative Cost of Calling +245 from the USA

 

The cost of calling Guinea-Bissau from the U.S. is high and varies significantly between carriers and plans. Pay-per-minute rates are often substantial, and consumers should be fully aware of the costs before dialing. Below is a comparison of standard pay-per-use rates from major U.S. carriers.

Important Considerations:

• Verizon: The rate of $1.40 per minute is based on the Business Digital Voice plan. Standard consumer pay-per-minute rates may differ and should be verified on Verizon’s website, as they offer various international plans like Global Choice and Global Calling Plus that can alter the cost.
• T-Mobile: The standard pay-per-use rate for a call from the U.S. to Guinea-Bissau with the $15/month Stateside International Talk add-on is $2.41/min to mobile and $2.18/min to landlines. The rate for a T-Mobile customer roaming

  in Guinea-Bissau and making a call is $3.59/min.
• Alternative Services: Other Voice over IP (VoIP) and calling card services may offer different rates. For example, some third-party rate sheets list costs ranging from $0.536 per minute to $1.4189 per minute, depending on the specific network being called.

Given the high cost, anyone needing to make frequent or lengthy calls to Guinea-Bissau should investigate purchasing a dedicated international calling plan from their carrier or using a reputable third-party VoIP service.

 

Your Digital Shield: How to Block Unwanted Calls from +245 and Beyond

 

Due to the prevalence of spoofing, where scammers can change their number for every call, blocking a single number is often ineffective. The most robust defense against unwanted calls is a layered strategy that combines the features of your smartphone, services from your carrier, and specialized third-party applications.

 

Method 1: Using Your Smartphone’s Built-In Features

 

Most modern smartphones have native tools to help manage unwanted calls.

• On an iPhone:
  • Block Individual Numbers: From the Phone app, go to Recents, tap the “i” icon next to the unwanted number, and select Block this Caller.
  • Silence Unknown Callers: This powerful feature, found in Settings > Phone, automatically sends any call from a number not in your contacts, recent outgoing calls, or Siri Suggestions directly to voicemail. The phone will not ring. This is highly effective but may block legitimate calls from numbers you don’t have saved, such as a doctor’s office or delivery service.
• On an Android Device:
  • Block Individual Numbers: The process is similar to the iPhone, typically accessed by long-pressing a number in the call log and selecting “Block/report spam.”
  • Built-in Spam Protection: Many Android phones have native spam protection that will display a “Suspected spam caller” warning on the screen for incoming calls that have been flagged by Google’s system.

 

Method 2: Leveraging Your Carrier’s Services

 

Major U.S. mobile carriers provide their own suites of tools to combat spam and scam calls.

• AT&T: The AT&T ActiveArmor® mobile security app offers free services including fraud call blocking, spam call labeling, and a personal block list.
• Verizon: The Call Filter app provides spam detection, a block list, and a “neighborhood filter.” The neighborhood filter allows users to block all calls from a specific area code and prefix (e.g., 245-955-XXXX), which is a more targeted approach than blocking an entire country. The free version allows up to 5 such filters, while the paid version allows 10.
• T-Mobile: The Scam Shield™ app offers features like scam blocking and caller ID.
• Block All International Calls: For users who never make or receive international calls, the most effective preventative measure is to contact their carrier and request a block on all outgoing international calls on their line. This makes it impossible to accidentally return a one-ring scam call and incur charges.

 

Method 3: Installing Third-Party Call-Blocking Apps

 

For the most granular control, a variety of third-party apps are available that specialize in identifying and blocking unwanted calls. These apps often use crowd-sourced data to maintain vast databases of known scam numbers.

• Truecaller: A popular app that provides robust caller ID for unknown numbers (both domestic and international) and allows for automatic spam and scam blocking.
• RoboKiller: This app not only blocks spam calls but can also engage them with “Answer Bots,” wasting the scammers’ time. It allows for the blocking of entire area codes or prefixes.
• YouMail: Known for its advanced robocall blocking and visual voicemail services, YouMail helps filter unwanted calls before they reach the user.

No single solution is perfect. A layered approach—for example, using the carrier’s free service for general protection, enabling “Silence Unknown Callers” on the device, and using a third-party app for more aggressive filtering—provides the most comprehensive defense.

 

Reclaiming Control: How to Report Scams and Protect Yourself

 

If you receive a suspicious call or have fallen victim to a scam, taking swift and decisive action is crucial to mitigate damage and help authorities track fraudulent activity.

 

The Golden Rules of Engagement

 

The best defense is to avoid engagement entirely.

• Do Not Answer: If you receive a call from an unknown number, especially an international one, let it go to voicemail. If the call is legitimate, the caller will leave a message.
• Never Call Back: Do not return calls to unknown international numbers. This is the primary trigger for the one-ring scam’s financial trap.
• Do Not Interact: If you do answer, and the caller or a recording asks you to press a button to be removed from a list, hang up immediately. This is often a trick to confirm your number is active, which leads to more scam calls. Never provide personal information.

 

Official Reporting Channels

 

Reporting scam attempts is a vital public service that helps federal agencies build cases against fraudulent operators.

• Federal Trade Commission (FTC):
  • For unwanted calls, file a complaint with the National Do Not Call Registry at www.donotcall.gov.
  • If you have lost money to a scam, file a detailed report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC):
  • File a complaint about unwanted calls or texts via the FCC’s Consumer Complaint Center at consumercomplaints.fcc.gov.

 

The National Do Not Call Registry

 

While it will not stop illegal scam calls, registering your phone number on the National Do Not Call Registry at www.donotcall.gov is still a valuable step. Legitimate telemarketers are required by law to honor the list. This means that if your number is on the registry and you still receive a telemarketing call, it is highly likely to be an illegal scam, making it easier to identify.

 

What to Do If You Have Been Victimized

 

If you have accidentally called back a scam number or provided personal information, take these steps immediately:

1. Contact Your Phone Carrier: Call your mobile provider (Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.) immediately. Explain the situation and dispute any fraudulent charges on your bill. They may be able to waive the fees associated with a known scam.
2. Contact Your Financial Institutions: If you shared any bank account, credit card, or other financial information, contact your bank and credit card companies right away. Report the fraudulent contact, and they can place a fraud alert on your accounts and monitor for suspicious activity.
3. Monitor Your Accounts: Keep a close watch on your bank statements, credit card bills, and credit reports for any unauthorized charges or new accounts opened in your name.
4. Change Your Passwords: If you believe any of your online accounts may have been compromised, change your passwords immediately.

By remaining vigilant, utilizing available technology, and reporting suspicious activity, consumers can build a formidable defense against the pervasive threat of international phone scams.