From: "Michael T. Babcock" <mbabcock@tyenet.com>
Date: Fri, 25 Oct 1996 08:14:46 -0700 (PDT)
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Fw: Area Code 809 Carribean Phone Scam
Message-ID: <199610251512.LAA02381@spirit.hks.net>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


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To: cypherpunks@hks.net
Date: Fri Oct 25 11:13:26 1996
>> Just a heads-up about a current scam concerning numbers with "809" area 
>> codes.... spread the word!
>>
>> BE CAREFUL! This is a fraudulent message received the other day. 
>>
>> "Subject: Unpaid Account
>>
>> I am writing to give you a final 24 hours to settle your outstanding
>> account.  If I have not received the settlement in full, I will commence
>> legal proceedings without further delay.  If you would like to discuss 
this 
>> matter to avoid court action, call Mike Murray at Global Communications 
on 
>> 1-809-496-2700"
>>
>>
>> Subject: More Phone Scams
>>
>> 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 is answered by someone 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 line 
is, 
>> when your phone bill comes, you see this incredible charge, oftentimes 
more 
>> than $100.00!
>>
>> 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 809
>> numbers are in the Caribbean, they aren't bound by the US 900# 
regulations 
>> that require them to warn you of the charge and the rate involved, and 
also 
>> 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 is bad enough that the criminal is invading your privacy,
>> don't let them invade your 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 phone company that feels they have 
done 
>> no wrong.  It can turn into a real nightmare!
>>
>> Please fwd this message to friends and let people be aware of it! 


Message courtesy Michael T. Babcock
http://www.cyberbeach.net/~mbabcock

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