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In the toll-free number scam (also known as toll-free number hijacking), some bad person gets a phone number that is similar to a popular toll-free one – usually slightly modified – to fool unsuspecting people. For example, if the toll-free line to a service in your area is 888, someone can set up a number like 868 and publicize that as a toll-free line. This is then used to fool people into calling.
The unsuspecting person then calls the number, expecting to not be billed or charged. Of course, they get charged for the call, typically at a premium tariff. Even when the amount the caller pays per call is small, it is the volume effect that counts to the scammers. Getting a few cents or dollars from hundreds of thousands of people means they make a lot of money. And that is the way the bad people make money off unsuspecting people. That is how the foll-free number scam works, in a nutshell.
What is a toll-free number, and how does it work?
A toll-free number is a dedicated phone line that allows callers to reach a public service or business organization for help, without being charged. It is usually a three-digit number. When you call a toll-free number, it is at no cost to you. All incoming calls are charged to the owner of the toll-free line by a pre-determined arrangement with the telephone company providing the service.
When someone calls a fake toll-free line, in reality, they end up calling a premium number, or an international number, and get charged heavily. The scammer makes money this way, and it adds up, depending on how many people they get to call the number.
For example, you might receive a telephone call or voicemail from someone claiming to be from a delivery service, and they would ask you to call a toll-free line for a package with your name on it. The provided toll-free number would be a scam operation and cost you money, should you call it.
How to identify a toll-free number scam
Being well-informed is the best way to fortify yourself against foll-free number scams. Find out the valid toll-free numbers in your area. If you have any doubts about a number, do not call it. Also, only call toll-free numbers listed on the websites and materials of legitimate business organizations. They always have their numbers listed on their websites. If you receive a telephone call or voicemail claiming to be from a legitimate organization, with a callback request, go to that organization’s website to verify the number. if the number is not listed there, you are likely being targeted by a toll-free number scam. Don’t call that number.
One of the things that toll-free number scammers are counting on is the fact that the amount spent on each of these calls is not a big deal for many people. It isn’t about how little they succeed in skimming off you; it is about not making these scam operations profitable for the scammers.
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Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
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The last time that Xiaomi played in the entry-level segment of the smartphone market was in 2019 when it announced the Redmi Go . It cost just below US $100 and was the cheapest Xiaomi phone back then. It was quite a phone. Xiaomi is known for its value-for-money smartphones: meaning that for the same amount of money, you get better specs and features from Xiaomi than from most other brands. Yet, there is one area the brand is weak at – the entry-level end of the market.
I suspect that Xiaomi got burnt with that experiment, because after that, they completely abandoned the entry-level market and did not look back till date. Up till recently, the most affordable Xiaomi smartphone was probably the Redmi 9A, which costs about US $105 for the base variant. But in June 2022, Xiaomi has announced a new smartphone with an odd feature – a chipset with a name we had never heard before. I had never heard of the chip-maker called JLQ before now, but the chip that powers the new Xiaomi Poco C40 is from them.
Is Poco C40 now the cheapest Xiaomi phone?
The JLQ JR510 is an 11 nm chipset clocked at 1.5 GHz, and it is paired with 3 GB RAM, 32 GB storage and 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage options in the Poco C40. The display is a 6.71-inch LCD, and there is a big, 6000mAh battery coupled with 18W fast charging. The sales box comes with a 10W charger, though. That is clearly a cost-saving measure. In all, the Poco C40 is clearly a budget smartphone. Perhaps it will take the place of the Redmi 9A as the cheapest Xiaomi phone in the market. Find below the key specs.
- Xiaomi Poco C40 Quick Specs
- Redmi A2: Quick Specs
Xiaomi Poco C40 Quick Specs
- 6.71″, 1650 x 720 HD+, Dot Drop display, with Corning® Gorilla® Glass
- MIUI 13 for POCO, based on Android 11
- 13MP wide angle lens + 2 MP depth sensor at the back
- 5MP camera at the front
- 6000mAh battery
- 18W fast charging
- Rear fingerprint sensor
- AI face unlock
- 4G: LTE FDD: Band 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 20, 28
- 4G: LTE TDD: Band 38, 40, 41 (2535MHz-2655MHz)
- 3G: WCDMA: Band 1, 2, 4, 5, 8
- 2G: GSM: Band 2, 3, 5, 8
- Bluetooth 5.0
- Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac
- IP52 Water & dust resistance
- GPS | GLONASS | Galileo | BeiDou
- 3.5 mm headphone jack
- FM radio
The specs are not bad at all. They are quite decent, if I may say so. But it is definitely not an entry-level smartphone. The presence of Gorilla Glass is intriguing. It will likely be an older version, like v3.
What is the price of the new Poco C40 budget smartphone? It costs € 114 in the European Union, and £162 in the UK. That made it the cheapest Xiaomi phone in 2022.
Xiaomi mentioned global availability, but we don’t know how global the Poco C40 will get. The Poco sub-brand is not known to sell its models in many regions. Thankfully, you can get it in the UK and countries in the European Union (EU). But is it still the cheapest Xiaomi phone in 2024?
The Cheapest Xiaomi Phone in 2024 is the Redmi A2
Redmi A2 is the cheapest Xiaomi phone of 2023
Xiaomi announced the Redmi A2 in 2023 and coming in at €97-€100 makes it the new cheapest Xiaomi phone available in the market. Now, this is a proper entry-level Android smartphone. Let’s look at the specs.
Redmi A2: Quick Specs
- OS: Android 13
- Release Date: 2023
- Network Type: 2G/3G/4G
- Display: 6.52-inch, 720 x 1600 pixels resolution
- Processor: MediaTek Helio G36
- Selfie Camera: 5 MP
- Rear camera: 8 MP dual
- RAM: 2 GB
- ROM: 32 GB
- Battery: 5000 mAh
Note that the Redmi A2 lacks a fingerprint scanner. There is no splash resistant rating, either. A number of other specs are dropped, too. Which should not be strange; you have to give up something to have the lower price. If a fingerprint scanner is non-negotiable for you, you might have to consider another model. But if you really must have the cheapest Xiaomi phone, this is it. Knowing how Xiaomi is not prolific with entry-level devices, it is doubtful that the Redmi A2 will have a replacement till later in 2024.
Author:Mister Mobility
Digital Skills and Communication Coach | Mobile Phone Connoisseur since 2001 | Tech Blogging since 2004
