Folks,
Just got this - thought it should get wide dissemination.
Regards,
Dave
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 15 Oct 1996 08:09:06 -0700
>
>>>
>>>Subject: The Latest Fraud - What will they think of next?
>>>
>>>Basically, a new scam has been identified by the National
>>>Fraud Information Center that is costing victims BIG BUCKS!
>>>
>>>The scam works basically like this:
>>>
>>>You get home and notice that the message light is blinking
>>>on your answering machine. You listen to the message, which
>>>has several wrinkles, but the best one is the caller asks you
>>>to call a number beginning with area code 809 to receive
>>>information about a family member who has been ill. (They may
>>>also tell you someone has been arrested, died, you have won a
>>>wonderful prize, etc.)
>>>
>>>In any event, concerned or curious, you make the call.
>>>Sometimes the phone will be answered by a person who claims to
>>>speak broken English. (The idea is to keep you on the line to
>>>build up charges.) Or, sometimes you will just get a long
>>>recorded message. The bottom lines is, when your phone bill
>>>comes, you see this incredible charge, oftentimes more than
>>>$100.00 dollars!
>>>
>>>Crooks are using the 809 numbers as "pay-per-calls" and to get
>>>around the US Regulations and 900 number blocking. Every time
>>>you call the number, they get a greatly inflated rebate from
>>>the foreign phone company. Since the 809 numbers are in the
>>>Caribbean, they aren't bound by US 900# regulations that
>>>require them to warn you of the charge and rate involved, and
>>>also to provide a time period during which you may terminate
>>>the call without being charged.
>>>
>>>The newest twist to this scam is to page people using the 809
>>>numbers. With the new area code changes, people unknowingly
>>>are returning these calls. When the bill comes, there are
>>>HUGE charges for the calls.
>>>
>>>My suggestion is 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, DON'T RETURN THE CALL! It's bad enough that
>>>the criminal is invading your privacy, don't let them invade
>>>you wallet as well!
>>>
>>>Scams of this type are extremely hard to prosecute and since
>>>you did actually make the call, neither your local phone
>>>company or your long distance carrier will want to get
>>>involved. They'll tell you that they are simply providing
>>>the billing for the foreign company. You end up trying to
>>>deal (over the phone) with a foreign company that feels they
>>>have done no wrong. It can turn into a real nightmare!
>>>
>>>
>>>Please fwd this msg to friends and let people be aware of it!
>>>
>>>
>>>Dan Akins
>>>Washington State University
>>>
dakins@wsu.edu
>>>
>>>Linda Siebert
>>>Women Studies Program
>>>Washington State University
>>>P.O. Box 644007
>>>Pullman, WA 99164-4007
>>>Phone: 509-335-1794
>>>email:
siebertl@mail.wsu.edu
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
Janet Germain
germainj@wsu.edu
Department of Management & Systems
Washington State University
Pullman, WA 99164-4736
(509)335-7580