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WARNING Costly NEW AREA CODE. 809 Area Code

CHUCK 2012/07/08 20:48:19
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Subject: CONFIRMED BY AT&T; and SNOPES= A New Area Code 809/WATCH OUT

WARNING Costly NEW AREA CODE.
8
09 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 did not respond. Then this week, we received the following e-mail:

Do Not DIAL AREA CODE 809, 284,AND 876 from the U.S. or Canada.

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. or Canada,you will apparently be charged a minimum of

$2425 per-minute.


And you'll also 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.

WHY IT WORKS:

The 809
area code is located in the Dominican Republic .
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.


AT&T; VERIFIES IT'S TRUE:
http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=6045

SNOPES VERIFIES IT'S TRUE:
http://search.atomz.com/search/?sp-q=area+code+809&x;=26&y;=1...
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  • Suzie1001 2012/07/09 21:06:26
    IS THIS POSSIBLY TRUE..
    Suzie1001
    This is very true. My Friend got slammed by a number with the area code 809. Don't call them back and don't give the them any information about you or email address.
  • none 2012/07/09 17:20:02
    THEY SHOULD BE PROSEQUITED ..
    none
    +1
    I don't answer or call back numbers I don't know.
  • Pedalpusher 2012/07/09 16:38:30
    THEY SHOULD BE PROSEQUITED ..
    Pedalpusher
    +1
    I have caller ID on my cells, my home phone forwards to my cell. I don't answer any number I don't recognize. After the call if I'm near my computer I put the number in a search engine and check it out. If I can't find it (and most 800 numbers, these type numbers, sales, surveys.... etc. Are noted when you search that way and not the charge for the search places. If it's something I don't want I put it in my contacts under something like DNA (Do not answer) and set the ringer for those type calls at "no ring" The p[hone lights up but doesn't ring and the ID tells me DNA. My new phone didn't have a no ring ringtone, but it told me how to record my own ring-tones so I just I just recorded one with the volume off. Works great! These charging numbers are nothing new. If someone wants to get in touch with me and has their phone system set not to send caller ID I figure they can leave a message, if they don't that's their problem.
    The phone companies should take some responsibility as they are the ones allowing this to happen they know there's no way that anyone needs to have a phone that cost anyone over .50 a minute for a call back! You can believe they are getting their cut!
  • Country Gentleman 2012/07/09 16:22:51
    Undecided
    Country Gentleman
    Read the Snopes article. This was true, now is mostly untrue.
  • Gordon 2012/07/09 16:16:34
    IS THIS POSSIBLY TRUE..
    Gordon
    +2
    Any telephone company that passes along these charges to its customers should be closed down, and fined big time.
  • tncdel 2012/07/09 15:51:39
    Undecided
    tncdel
    +1
    So what is the Obama administration ordering the FCC to do about it? Hmmm.....
  • Willy tncdel 2012/07/09 18:54:18
    Willy
    +1
    They are splitting the profit.
  • CHUCK tncdel 2012/07/13 20:18:50
  • cc 2012/07/09 15:04:18
    THEY SHOULD BE PROSEQUITED ..
    cc
    +1
    This would be a pretty tough stretch to catch someone doing this as they are in the Dominican Republic.
    I'll frequently check out an area code or do a reverse number lookup before calling back if I don't recognize it. It's easy to do for all you internet users and can be done on a smartphone.
  • Jenn 2012/07/09 08:00:25
    THEY SHOULD BE PROSEQUITED ..
    Jenn
    +1
    Thank you for sharing..
  • sglmom 2012/07/09 05:09:08 (edited)
    THEY SHOULD BE PROSEQUITED ..
    sglmom
    +1
    IF your Caller ID shows a number that is not familiar to you ..
    if your Voice Mail has a message that is odd indeed ..

    PLEASE .. get that information --
    write it down ..
    and FILL out the form here ..
    http://www.fcc.gov/complaints



    In order to prosecute these scammers ..
    we must .. as Citizens .. document that they are INDEED calling (or robo-calling)
    and build the track up for the FCC to establish the case.
  • starguide 2012/07/09 03:26:43
    Undecided
    starguide
    not totally confirmed by snopes snopes
  • Chef Bunyan 2012/07/09 01:19:56
    THEY SHOULD BE PROSEQUITED ..
    Chef Bunyan
    I have magicJack so I won't have this problem!
  • woodstock 2012/07/09 00:40:43
    IS THIS POSSIBLY TRUE..
    woodstock
    Thanks for the information. 809 will be a number I will remember.
  • John Hall 2012/07/09 00:22:47
    Undecided
    John Hall
    +1
    If it's true thanks for the info .
  • mac9 2012/07/08 23:48:59
    THEY SHOULD BE PROSEQUITED ..
    mac9
    +1
    Thanks for sharing. This should be headline news.
  • firebird 2012/07/08 22:23:57
    IS THIS POSSIBLY TRUE..
    firebird
    +1
    ACTUALLY, I got a call from the POWER COMPANY ( my electric co never calls on house phone only my cell ) on Friday to return the call immediately about my services. I thought WTH??? so I dialed and I got a recording to HOLD ON AS ITS ABOUT MY SERVICE... I HUNG UP immediately! I knew something was very wrong.... SO YES< ITS ALL POSSIBLE!!
  • CHUCK firebird 2012/07/08 22:32:40
    CHUCK
    +1
    PLEASE LET US KNOW IF THAT CALL WAS BILLED TO YOU..

    http://www.sodahead.com/unite...
  • Striker 2012/07/08 21:57:04
    IS THIS POSSIBLY TRUE..
    Striker
    I have thought always that 800 numbers are always free calls. 900 numbers are usually the ripoff.
  • relic Striker 2012/07/08 22:19:32
    relic
    +1
    800, 888, 877, & 866 are free. A lot of the 8xx numbers are places like Canada, Mexico, Carribean, etc.
  • Striker relic 2012/07/08 22:28:09
    Striker
    +1
    okay. glad that I prefer mostly staying off the phone!
  • Aahz_On... relic 2012/07/09 03:05:45
    Aahz_OneAndOnly
    808 is Hawaii
  • enlightened one 2012/07/08 21:52:55
    THEY SHOULD BE PROSEQUITED ..
    enlightened one
    +1
    That is a scam at best and criminal at worst. Thanks for posting. We have prepaid cell phones here so returning a phone call to that area code would be blocked because there are no funds there to cover it. One advantage to cost cutting. But I have had a land line and that would be devastating.
  • loudelk99 2012/07/08 21:39:17
    THEY SHOULD BE PROSEQUITED ..
    loudelk99
    +1
    If true these people should be procecuted for fraud.
  • sammanilla 2012/07/08 21:31:16
    NOT TRUE..
    sammanilla
    +1
    Analysis: Variants of the 809 area code scam alert have circulated via email and Internet message boards since 1996. Albeit in a grossly exaggerated and not entirely accurate fashion, the message describes a real scam in which consumers have been tricked into dialing international phone numbers and racking up unexpected long-distance charges (though nowhere near the whopping $24,100 reported above).

    According to AT&T;, the scam has become far less prevalent in recent years thanks to the preventative efforts of long distance carriers.

    The 809 area code scam can work 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's no legal requirement to inform callers in advance of any special rates or fees. Perpetrators conned 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.

    AT&T; advises that consumers always check the location of unfamiliar area codes before dialing. This ca...

    Analysis: Variants of the 809 area code scam alert have circulated via email and Internet message boards since 1996. Albeit in a grossly exaggerated and not entirely accurate fashion, the message describes a real scam in which consumers have been tricked into dialing international phone numbers and racking up unexpected long-distance charges (though nowhere near the whopping $24,100 reported above).

    According to AT&T;, the scam has become far less prevalent in recent years thanks to the preventative efforts of long distance carriers.

    The 809 area code scam can work 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's no legal requirement to inform callers in advance of any special rates or fees. Perpetrators conned 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.

    AT&T; advises that consumers always check the location of unfamiliar area codes before dialing. This can be done by querying the NANPA website (North American Numbering Plan) or simply Googling the area code and viewing the top result.

    http://urbanlegends.about.com...
    (more)
  • CHUCK sammanilla 2012/07/08 22:09:52
    CHUCK
    THANK YOU..WE SHOULD JUST CUT OFF AIDE TO THOSE COUNTRIES THAT ALLOW THIS RIP OFF..

    cut aide countries rip
  • sammanilla CHUCK 2012/07/09 03:40:47
    sammanilla
    For some odd reason we pay more to those countries that scam us so actively.

    That's the problem when you give people stuff they don't deserve, they want more than before.
  • bmxschoolbus 2012/07/08 21:26:28
    IS THIS POSSIBLY TRUE..
    bmxschoolbus
    and I am not about to find out
  • Hula girl - Friends not Fol... 2012/07/08 21:14:19
    Undecided
    Hula girl - Friends not Followers
    Our Area Code is 808 so it wouldn't be unusual to think there was a 809 somewhere.
  • Catnip 2012/07/08 21:08:58
    Undecided
    Catnip
    +1
    I ignore and delete all of the numbers I don't recognize.
  • CHUCK 2012/07/08 20:49:40 (edited)
    Undecided
    CHUCK
    +2
    DO NOT KNOW.. SEEMS THAT IT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL..

    illegal

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