CHARLESTON — A massive, internationally based telephone scam has the potential to cost mobile phone users thousands of dollars, the attorney general of West Virginia warned consumers on Friday.

The calls originate from Lithuania, Morocco and other nations, Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said. Consumers can identify such calls by the country code, such as +370, +32 and so on, as opposed to the more routine area code that is surrounded by parentheses, such as (304).

The scam calls have become so globally pervasive that they even have their own name: “Wangiri,” Japanese for “one cut,” as the scam artist targets consumers with a series of single-ring calls, Morrisey said. The repeated, single-ring calls bombard a person’s mobile device, often from different numbers making it near impossible to block additional calls.

Scammers hope customers will return their calls. By doing this, consumers could incur hefty phone charges or be subject to aggressive sales techniques for very expensive services.

“This is just another example of how scammers are always inventing new ways to steal,” Morrisey said. “As long as people ignore these annoying calls, they’ll be fine.”

Field representatives have received reports of the scam from consumers in numerous counties around the state, Morrisey said.

The Federal Communications Commission on Friday also issued a warning about the Wangiri scam targeting specific area codes in bursts, often calling multiple times in the middle of the night. The calls are likely trying to prompt consumers to call the number back, often resulting in per minute toll charges similar to a 900 number.

According to the commission, recent reports were the callers are using the 222 country code of Mauritania, a West African nation. News reports have indicated widespread overnight calling in New York State and Arizona.

Generally, the scam takes place when a robocaller calls a number and hangs up after a ring or two. They may call repeatedly, hoping the consumer calls back and runs up a toll that is largely paid to the scammer.

The commission recommends:

* Do not return calls to unrecognized numbers, especially those appearing to originate overseas.

* File a complaint with the commission at fcc.gov/complaints if a call is received.

* Consider asking the phone company about blocking outbound international calls to prevent accidental toll calls.

* Check the phone bill for unrecognized charges.

Morrisey also recommends consumers:

* Do not answer an unsolicited or unexpected call, especially from a foreign country.

* Never share identity, financial and otherwise sensitive information with a stranger.

* Verify the caller’s identity and their representation of the entity they represent.

* Never agree to send cash, wire money or provide numbers associated with a credit card, debit card or bank account.

* Do not send money on prepaid cards or gift cards.

Consumers who believe they been victimized by scam artists can contact the attorney general’s Consumer Protection Division at 1-800-368-8808, the Eastern Panhandle Consumer Protection Office in Martinsburg at 304-267-0239 or go to wvago.gov.