This message is reproduced here as a public service.
Original content from ATT and Verizon announcements.
Area Code 809 [and others] scam. - May 2001
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READ THIS MESSAGE COMPLETELY.
Post these area codes (see last paragraph) and watch out for them. DON'T
EVER DIAL AREA CODE 809. This scam is being distributed all over the U.S.
MAJOR SCAM: Don't respond to E-mail, 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 $24,000 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. HERE'S 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'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
U.S., you will apparently be charged $2,425 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 $24,100.00.
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" party
line number, similar to 900 numbers in the U.S. Since 809 is not in the
U.S., 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. 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.
Things are about
to get worse, because that infamous offshore area code(809) is in the
process of breaking up into smaller chunks, and you'll soon have to think
twice about calling any of the following area codes: 242, 246, 264, 268,
284, 345, 441, 473, 664, 758, 767, 784, 787, 868, 869, 876 as well as
809.
Please forward this
entire message to your friends, family and colleagues to help them become
aware of this scam. AT&T's fraud information page: http://www.att.com/fraud/home.html
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End of Message......
