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Do NOT dial area code 809, 284, 876
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| *~LiSa-LoO~* |
I usually don't pass around email forwards, but due to the links from AT&T and Snopes stating that this scam was real, I thought I'd let everyone know....
| quote: | 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 of ten 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 afterward 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.
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AT&T SAYS TRUE:
http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=6045
SNOPES SAYS IT'S TRUE:
http://www.snopescom/fraud/telephone/809.asp |
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| patpicos |
| at& t and other phone companies should just block outbound calls to those area codes. Problem solved! |
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| VERTiG0 |
| quote: | Originally posted by devnull
at& t and other phone companies should just block outbound calls to those area codes. Problem solved! |
Well what if I want to call these numbers, huh, then what? |
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| chinamon |
| quote: | Originally posted by devnull
at& t and other phone companies should just block outbound calls to those area codes. Problem solved! |
well they cant really do that since those are legit area codes for dominican republic, british virgin islands and jamaica and people do have family and friends with those area codes. |
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| DigiNut |
Correction: Snopes says the scam is true, but only for certain numbers with that area code, and that the amount is nowhere near what's stated.
I just wish you'd posted the AT&T link only, which lays out the actual facts, rather than the annoying chain letter, which makes a valid point but is otherwise full of misinformation and emotionally-charged language as usual.
So it should be obvious they can't just block outbound calls to those area codes - they're legitimate area codes.
Besides, this scam is over 4 years old (the chain letter is over 3 years old). I've never heard of anybody getting one of these calls recently... or ever. That's the problem with these forwards - even if they're (partially) true, they tend to keep circulating well past their sell-by date, and often refer to events localized to a small geographical area but reach people well outside of it. |
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| *~LiSa-LoO~* |
| quote: | Originally posted by DigiNut
Correction: Snopes says the scam is true, but only for certain numbers with that area code, and that the amount is nowhere near what's stated.
I just wish you'd posted the AT&T link only, which lays out the actual facts, rather than the annoying chain letter, which makes a valid point but is otherwise full of misinformation and emotionally-charged language as usual.
So it should be obvious they obviously can't just block outbound calls to those area codes - they're legitimate area codes.
Besides, this scam is over 4 years old (the chain letter is over 3 years old). I've never heard of anybody getting one of these calls recently... or ever. That's the problem with these forwards - even if they're (partially) true, they tend to keep circulating well past their sell-by date, and often refer to events localized to a small geographical area but reach people well outside of it. |
Typical :rolleyes: |
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| chinamon |
| quote: | Originally posted by DigiNut
Besides, this scam is over 4 years old (the chain letter is over 3 years old). I've never heard of anybody getting one of these calls recently... or ever. |
thats because the scam was targeted at americans. |
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| DigiNut |
| quote: | Originally posted by *~LiSa-LoO~*
Typical :rolleyes: |
Yes, that is typical of mass e-mail forwards, which is why you shouldn't pass them on. If you have a trustworthy source (like the AT&T link), then pass that on, with a few explanatory comments, and no capital letters or exclamation marks.
Edit: And I'd also like to add that the advice it gives out in giant capital letters is wrong. The message to people shouldn't be "don't ever dial a number with this area code (which could be legitimate)", it should be "don't return calls to unfamiliar numbers when you don't recognize the caller or the purpose of the call".
This is the common-sense approach. You shouldn't return a local call either, if it's someone telling you that you won a prize out of a contest that you didn't enter, or that it's the sales department of some company you've never heard of and they need your Visa number again because your payment didn't go through. |
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| VDub |
| What if I used YAK??? |
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| dEsidEL |
| quote: | Originally posted by VDub
What if I used YAK??? |
or Skype?? now I'm tempted to enable call forwarding to one of these numbers if i happen to be in a home of someone i dislike
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| house_conXion |
| It's really strange that 809 is a scam area code as my travel company calls the DR all the time and that's their area code. I suppose its certain numbers after the 809 that are the scam. |
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| rabbitjoker |
| This warning has circulated for 10 years. |
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