809 area code scam-Warning!!!

[Guest guest]

I received the note below from a friend. Just to be

sure, I just spoke to a supervisor at AT & T who verified the

information in the note below. So...be careful out there...and

consider forwarding this note to your email friends.

>

>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 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 numbers 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.

>

>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 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.

>

>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

>