FYI, please read
>> IS NOT A JOKE
>>
>> SUBJECT: 809 area code
>>
>> THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION PROVIDED TO US BY AT&T.
>> DON'T EVER DIAL AREA CODE 809
>>
>> This one is being distributed all over the US. This is pretty scary,
>> especially given the way they try to get you to call. Be sure you read
this
>> and pass it on to all your friends and family so they don't get scammed!
>>
>> 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 $2400 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 lots 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 US, you will apparently be charged $2425
>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 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 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 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. homes that have 900 number blocking to avoid these kinds of
>> charges, do not work in preventing 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 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 be aware of this scam.
>>
>> Sandi Van Handel
>> AT&T Field Service Manager
>> (920) 687-904
>> Additional information can be obtained from the following AT&T Web
>> Site
>>
>>
http://www.att.com/fraud/home.html#thre/
>
>> <
http://www.att.com/fraud/home.html#thre/s/
>>
>>
>> SUBJECT: 809 area code
>>
>> THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION PROVIDED TO US BY AT&T.
>> DON'T EVER DIAL AREA CODE 809
>>
>> This one is being distributed all over the US. This is pretty scary,
>> especially given the way they try to get you to call. Be sure you read
this
>> and pass it on to all your friends and family so they don't get scammed!
>>
>> 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 $2400 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 lots 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 US, you will apparently be charged $2425
>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 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC. 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 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. homes that have 900 number blocking to avoid these kinds of
>> charges, do not work in preventing 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 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 be aware of this scam.
>>
>> Sandi Van Handel
>> AT&T Field Service Manager
>> (920) 687-904
>> Additional information can be obtained from the following AT&T Web
>> Site
>>
>>
http://www.att.com/fraud/home.html#thre/
>
>> <
http://www.att.com/fraud/home.html#thre/s/
>>
