TwinTone
11-17-2000, 06:52 PM
Ok.. I have heard of this scam before.. but $2425 per minute. Im thinking bullshit..
Just got it in an e-mail.. thought it was a bit funny.. the e-mail follows.
We have received notice of a "new" scam being pulled throughout the U.S. Do not call back a number with an 809 area code. The 809 Area Code is located in the British Virgin Islands (The Bahamas). Following is the notice we received:
DON'T RESPOND TO E-mails, 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 and can cost you $24,100 or more. It is difficult to avoid unless you are aware of it. Verizon and the National Fraud Information Center are aware of it.
HOW IT WORKS: You 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 are 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, you
have won a prize, etc. In each case you are told to call the 809 number right away.
Since there are so many new area codes, people unknowingly return these
calls. If you do call from the US, you will apparently be charged $2425 per minute.
Or, you will get a long recorded message. The point is to keep you on the phone
as long as possible to increase the charges. Unfortunately when you get your phone bill you will often be charged more than $24,100.
WHY IT WORKS: The 809 area code is located in the British Virgin Islands (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 the US 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 US phones have a 900 number blocking to avoid these kinds of charges, 900 number blocking will not prevent calls to the 809 area code.
It is recommended 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, investigate further and/or disregard the message. Be wary of E-mails or calls asking you to call an 809 area code number. It is important to prevent becoming a victim of this scam, since trying to fight the charges afterwards can become a nightmare. That is 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 compnay. You would then have to deal with a foreign company. Please let others know of this scam.
$2425 per minute. hehe.. that would be a sweet dialer.
Just got it in an e-mail.. thought it was a bit funny.. the e-mail follows.
We have received notice of a "new" scam being pulled throughout the U.S. Do not call back a number with an 809 area code. The 809 Area Code is located in the British Virgin Islands (The Bahamas). Following is the notice we received:
DON'T RESPOND TO E-mails, 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 and can cost you $24,100 or more. It is difficult to avoid unless you are aware of it. Verizon and the National Fraud Information Center are aware of it.
HOW IT WORKS: You 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 are 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, you
have won a prize, etc. In each case you are told to call the 809 number right away.
Since there are so many new area codes, people unknowingly return these
calls. If you do call from the US, you will apparently be charged $2425 per minute.
Or, you will get a long recorded message. The point is to keep you on the phone
as long as possible to increase the charges. Unfortunately when you get your phone bill you will often be charged more than $24,100.
WHY IT WORKS: The 809 area code is located in the British Virgin Islands (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 the US 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 US phones have a 900 number blocking to avoid these kinds of charges, 900 number blocking will not prevent calls to the 809 area code.
It is recommended 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, investigate further and/or disregard the message. Be wary of E-mails or calls asking you to call an 809 area code number. It is important to prevent becoming a victim of this scam, since trying to fight the charges afterwards can become a nightmare. That is 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 compnay. You would then have to deal with a foreign company. Please let others know of this scam.
$2425 per minute. hehe.. that would be a sweet dialer.