NWR: Area Code Scam

IMPORTANT INFO ABOUT AREA CODE

We actually received a call last week from the 809
area code. The woman said 'Hey, this is Karen. Sorry
I missed you--get back to us quickly. I have something
important to tell you.' Then she repeated a phone
number beginning with 809

We didn't respond.

Then this week, we received the following e-mail:
Do Not DIAL AREA CODE 809 , 284 AND 876

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.
They get you to call by telling you that it is
information about a family member who has been ill or
to tell you someone has been arrested, died, or 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 $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 British Virgin
Islands (The Bahamas).
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)687-904

This is the information straight off the AT&T site. PLEASE KEEP IN MIND - that no matter HOW LEGIT an e-mail may look that a scam is a scam. Portions of the above post are true and untrue. PLEASE RESEARCH ANYTHING THAT LOOKS SUSPICIOUS yourself. You will be shocked to discover how much crap is out there.

Link to AT&T website


Periodically, e-mails warning of a scam involving calls from the 809 area code circulate. Some of the information in the e-mail is true. For example, in the past, there has been some fraud associated with unscrupulous pay-per-call operators in that area code. However, this scam has been less and less of an issue in recent years as a result of work done by AT&T to shut down access to fraudulent pay-per-call operators. In fact, we rarely get actual complaints about this scam.

Furthermore, there is quite a bit of misinformation in the message, especially the highly exaggerated cost of a phone call to numbers in the 809 area code, a legitimate code for the Dominican Republic (not the Virgin Islands, as the e-mail states).

In an effort to protect AT&T consumers from all manner of scams, AT&T offers the following information and tips.

* Return calls to familiar numbers only. As a general rule, return pages and voice mail messages only from numbers that contain familiar or recognizable area codes. You may call your directory assistance or long-distance operator to check on the area code location.
* Carefully read your telephone bill. Make sure you only receive charges from your provider of choice. Ensure you thoroughly understand charges listed on your phone bill, have chosen to do business with all of the listed providers billing for those charges and have authorized additional fees invoiced. If your local service has changed, you will receive a final bill from the former provider and a notice concerning your service disconnection.
* Be suspicious of alleged changes in your service. Some customers have reported receiving calls or mailings from companies claiming that they bill or provide services on behalf of AT&T companies. If you are so contacted, assume it is untrue until you have verified it with an AT&T customer service representative, whose contact number is listed in the front of your phone book or on your AT&T phone bill.

If you believe that you have been scammed,

* Contact the carrier with whom the charge originated, whose name and toll-free telephone number should be printed on the same bill page as the charge in question. Often, the problem can be resolved with a single phone call.
* If the carrier with whom the charge originated does not agree to resolve the problem, contact AT&T. AT&T will work with the customer and the carrier to help get fraudulent charges removed from the phone bill.
* To file a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission about this and/or related phone scams, visit: www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/809.html.

im sorry but calling the bahamas is not $2,495 a minute...its $3.00 a minute i should know we called from the bahamas (809) area code home to ny and ca and we wish we didnt

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Posted by milana

im sorry but calling the bahamas is not $2,495 a minute...its $3.00 a minute i should know we called from the bahamas (809) area code home to ny and ca and we wish we didnt

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not completely true

Always chech snopes.com

http://www.snopes.com/fraud/telephone/809.asp

Just use common sense and don't call any foreign number back.

Like the article said the amount being charged has been drastically exaggertaed over the course of years.
I would kill someone if I got a bill for over 24k!

I found this on about.com under urban legends and folklore

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_809_area_code_scam.htm

Variants of this email alert have circulated since 1996. Though overblown and inaccurate in some respects, it describes a real scam in which consumers are tricked into dialing international phone numbers and racking up unexpected long-distance charges.

The scam works because a few regions outside the U.S., including the Caribbean and Canada, can be dialed directly without the usual '011' international prefix. '809' is the area code of the Dominican Republic. '284' is the area code of the British Virgin Islands. '876' is the area code of Jamaica. Since these numbers aren't subject to U.S. laws, there is no legal requirement to inform callers in advance of any special rates or fees.

Perpetrators con victims into dialing the numbers by leaving messages claiming that a relative has been injured or arrested, an unpaid account must be settled, or a cash prize can be claimed, etc. When recipients call back, they are kept on the line for as long as possible to run up additional charges. The bill for such a call can be substantial (though not nearly as high as $2,400 per minute claimed in the email).

AT&T advises that consumers always check the location of unfamiliar area codes before dialing. This can be done by visiting www.consumer.att.com or simply Googling the area code (e.g., area code 809) and viewing the top result.

our office dials 809 area code all the time to the dominican republic for shipments and stuff....we have optimum international and it's $20 a month for 250 minutes!

its so funny how emails get exaggereated over the years....but thanks for giving a heads up