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Just a heads-up about a current scam concerning numbers with "809" area codes.... spread the word!

BE CAREFUL! This is a fraudulent message received the other day.

"Subject: Unpaid Account

I am writing to give you a final 24 hours to settle your outstanding account. If I have not received the settlement in full, I will commence legal proceedings without further delay. If you would like to discuss

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matter to avoid court action, call Mike Murray at Global Communications on 1-809-496-2700"

Subject: More Phone Scams

The scam works basically like this:

You get home and notice that the message light is blinking on your answering machine. You listen to the message, which has several wrinkles, but the best one is the caller asks you to call a number beginning with Area Code 809 to receive information about a family member who has been ill. (They may also tell you someone has been arrested, died, you have won a wonderful prize, etc.)

In any event, concerned or curious, you make the call.

Sometimes the phone is answered by someone who claims to speak broken English. (The idea is to keep you on the line to build up charges.) Or, sometimes you will just get a long recorded message. The bottom line is, when your phone bill comes, you see this incredible charge, oftentimes more than $100.00!

Crooks are using the 809 numbers as "pay-per-calls" and to get around

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Regulations and 900 number blocking. Every time you call the number,

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- - -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- To: cypherpunks@hks.net Date: Fri Oct 25 11:13:26 1996 this the US they

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get a greatly inflated rebate from the foreign phone company. Since 809 numbers are in the Caribbean, they aren't bound by the US 900# regulations that require them to warn you of the charge and the rate involved, and also a time period during which you may terminate the call without being charged.

The newest twist to this scam is to page people using the 809 numbers. With the new area code changes, people unknowingly are returning these calls. When the bill comes, there are HUGE charges for the calls.

My suggestion is 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, DON'T RETURN THE CALL! It is bad enough that the criminal is invading your privacy, don't let them invade your wallet as well!

Scams of this type are extremely hard to prosecute and since you did actually make the call, neither your local phone company or your long distance carrier will want to get involved. They'll tell you that they are simply providing the billing for the foreign company. You end up trying to deal (over the phone) with a foreign phone company that feels they have done no wrong. It can turn into a real nightmare!

Please fwd this message to friends and let people be aware of it!

Message courtesy Michael T. Babcock http://www.cyberbeach.net/~mbabcock Send a message with subj. SEND PUBLIC KEY for PGP KEY. - -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.3i Charset: noconv iQC1AwUBMnDZIdtTCwP6TF2xAQHNFwUAgV+gvgGng69r8wbzCUqr3ckbjimKoByb 5YovMm0vAnS7Ub/gC/ECYT4A9HI971xi3J8pzbiR0fRMJhPYjJw+XCNQ0glN9EQU wXONFDA4CmdUQaaKtzt2cx5HropnG90+ljBDE8f1xh/wEsqKpaBGwwRDefPlAKnl xw4oj28RTlsJqLULKelBFSRBOrvDMk5/anpgPDnpmPqVJ2UcKoJHSw== =eag2 - -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- - --- [This message has been signed by an auto-signing service. A valid signature means only that it has been received at the address corresponding to the signature and forwarded.] -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.2 Comment: Gratis auto-signing service iQBFAwUBMnDY8CoZzwIn1bdtAQEInQF+NOLgpfiHX0Z3qvuo5rtSh/lR4V1GKxYx G3dP1QaWt9qhBpWVcjMEntsKdUlQkYHc =Mo7x -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----