1 Topic by Pinkrlyq (edited by Pinkrlyq 2006-06-22 14:07:23)

  • From: IL
  • Registered: 2006-05-24

Topic: '809' Phone Scam

I just heard of this on an AM news radio station, Googled it and found that it's not only a local Chicago area thing, so I thought I'd warn others about this.

from: http://www2.townonline.com/stoneham/loc … eid=510862

TownOnline.com wrote:

Police warn of '809' scam

Wednesday, June 7, 2006

Don't respond to e-mails, phone calls or Web pages which tell you to call an "809" area phone number, say police.

    Verizon brought this scam to attention, which has also been identified by the National Fraud Information Center. A message is sent on answering machines or pagers asking people to call a number beginning with area code 809. The reasons behind this request vary. It can be to receive information about a family member who has been ill, to inform people that an acquaintance has been arrested or died, or to inform people that they have won a prize.

    If people call the number, they will be charged $2,425 per minute and phone bills will often amount to more than $24,100.

    The 809 area code is located in the British Virgin Islands and can be used as a "pay-per-call" number, similar to 900 numbers, which require that people are notified and warned of rates. There is also no requirement that the company provides a time period during which the call may be terminated without being charged. Also, many US homes that have 900 number blocking to avoid these kinds of charges, do not work in preventing calls to the 809 area code.

Also, the Chicago CBS2 story is here: Police: Phone Scam Costs $2,425 Per Minute

Here's another  helpful article from MyWestTexas.com

"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." ~ Mark Twain
  • lyra
  • lyra
  • Naked Emperor Pointer Outer
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  • From: my own private idaho
  • Registered: 2004-03-25

Re: '809' Phone Scam

http://forum.noblerealms.org/viewtopic.php?id=2474

"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "Holy shit ... what a ride!"  - Anonymous
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"I get by with a little help from my (higher density) friends."
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lyra's Website

  • From: IL
  • Registered: 2006-05-24

Re: '809' Phone Scam

I'm so sorry.  I didn't even see that the topic had been previously covered.  I was under the impression that it was a new thing.  I'll do a more thorough check next time.  Again, really sorry!

"Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on, or by imbeciles who really mean it." ~ Mark Twain

4 Reply by lyra (edited by lyra 2006-06-23 08:14:36)

  • lyra
  • lyra
  • Naked Emperor Pointer Outer
  • Offline
  • From: my own private idaho
  • Registered: 2004-03-25

Re: '809' Phone Scam

Don't apologize......It was just that in reading it, I thought "hey....I could swear I've read this before!"  deja vu  big_smile  So I did a search on 809, and ouila...that came up.  The only suggestion I have for anybody who posts these types of things or forwards them around is to pause and take a minute to "feel it out."   As noted on the other thread about the 809 scam, it's not entirely accurate, and the claim of the 809 scam is in a way, a scam itself.  These sorts of things usually are, and the dead giveaways are:

1.  The alarmist, panic feel to it, like OH MY GOD!!!  BEWARE!!!!!  BEEEEEEEEWAAAAAAAAAARE!   
2.  The fact they're forwarded and circulated all over the internet, and that they tell you to forward it to as many people as possible.  They're like little viruses when you think about it.  Just ignore them.

So many of these sorts of things have been forwarded over the past few years - the big panic warning about people who would have you sniff perfume samples in mall parking lots - it's poison to knock you out so they can grab you, rape you, attack you, kill you, etc.  The big warning about "Tampons are made of asbestos!!!   Pass this around!" and so on.  There's been so many.  It may run contradictory to some people's natures to ignore and delete dire warnings, but when they're circulated en mass on the internet that's probably our best bet.

"Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting "Holy shit ... what a ride!"  - Anonymous
-----
"I get by with a little help from my (higher density) friends."
-----

lyra's Website