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----- Original Message ----- From: "Dugan, Cheryl" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]>; <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, December 28, 2000 6:19 AM Subject: FW: phone scam > > > > > > Subject: FW: phone scam > > > > > > > > [Gascho, Esther] I received this notice and felt I should pass it on to > > you. > > > > DON'T EVER DIAL AREA CODE 809 UNLESS YOU KNOW THE PARTY YOU ARE > > CALLING > > This one is being distributed all over the US. This is pretty scary -- > > especially given the > > way they try to get you to call. Be sure you read this & pass it on to > > all > > your friends and > > family so they don't get scammed! > > > > MAJOR SCAM > > > > Don't respond to Emails, phone calls, or web pages which tell you to > > call an > > "809" Phone > > Number. This is a very important issue of Scam Busters because it > > alerts you > > to a scam that is > > spreading *extremely* quickly - can easily cost you $24,100 or more, > > and is > > difficult to avoid > > unless you are aware of it. We'd like to thank Verizon for bringing > > this > > scam to our > > attention. This scam has also been identified by the National Fraud > > Information Center and is > > costing victims a lot of money. There are lots of different > > permutations of > > this scam, but > > HERE'S HOW IT WORKSYou will receive a message on your answering machine > > or > > your pager, which > > asks you to call a number beginning with area code 809. The reason > > you're > > asked to call varies. > > It can be to receive information about a family member who has been > > ill, to > > tell you someone > > has been arrested, died, to let you know you have won a wonderful > > prize, > > etc. In each case, you > > are told to call the 809 number right away. Since there are so many > > new area codes these days, people unknowingly return these calls. If > > you > > call from the US, you > > will apparently be charged $2425 per-minute. Or, you'll get a long > > recorded > > message. > > > > The point is, they will try to keep you on the phone as long as > > possible to > > increase the > > charges. Unfortunately, when you get your phone bill, you'll often be > > charged more than > > $24,100. > > > > WHY IT WORKS The 809 area code is located in the British Virgin Islands > > and > > The Bahamas. The > > 809 area code can be used as a "pay-per-call" number, similar to 900 > > numbers > > in the US. Since > > 809 is not in the US, it is not covered by U.S. regulations of 900 > > numbers, > > which require that > > you be notified and warned of charges and rates involved when you call > > a > > "pay-per-call" number. > > > > There is also no requirement that the company provide a time period > > during > > which you may > > terminate the call without being charged. Further, whereas many U.S. > > phones > > have 900 number > > blocking to avoid these kinds of charges, 900 number blocking will not > > prevent calls to the 809 > > area code. > > > > We recommend that no matter how you get the message, if you are asked > > to > > call a number with an > > 809 area code that you don't recognize and/or investigate further and > > just > > disregard the > > message. Be wary of email or calls asking you to call an 809 area > > code > > number. It's important > > to prevent becoming a victim of this scam, since trying to fight the > > charges > > afterwards can > > become A real nightmare. That's because you did actually make the call. > > If > > you complain, both > > your local phone company and your long distance carrier will not want > > to get > > involved and will > > most likely tell you that they are simply providing the billing for > > the > > foreign company. > > You'll end up dealing with a foreign company that argues they have > > done > > nothing wrong. Please > > forward this entire message to your friends, family and colleagues to > > help > > them become aware of > > this scam. > > > > Sandi Van Handel > > AT&T Field Service Manager > > (920)687-9045 > > 877 479-7902 > > (920)687-9182 > > > > [ End of Original Text ] > > > > > > >