[bEaUtIfUlbRuNeTtE]

I'm letting everyone know that there is a scam going around, please read below...

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.

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 :
AT&T | 809 Area Code and Other Long Distance Phone Scams
SCOPES VERIFIES IT'S TRUE:
http://www.snopescom/fraud/telephone/809.asp

[ebaines]

Thank you for including the Scopes web site link, although there is an error in the URL - the correct site address is:

snopes.com: 809 Area Code Scam

From Scopes you will see that this warning is very much exaggerated - this warning has been making the rounds on the internet for years and yet there are very few actual victims. No one has been charged $2425 per minute. Nevertheless it's always wise to be prudent about dialing any phone number that you don't recognize. I suggest you check out the Scopes site.

[bEaUtIfUlbRuNeTtE]

Well thanks for the update!

I actually received an email about this today and copy and pasted it to this website. I didn't realize it was so old.

Maybe a moderator can delete this post then?

[ScottGem]

Nyah, you had no way of knowing its age and its still a valid warning. These scams keep cropping up.

But, it is a good idea to check out these warnings before spreading them around. Many of these scams are as old or older than the Internet. Snopes.com does a great job of evaluating these threats.

We just had someone post that they fell for the your e-mail address is about to be purged, please supply your login info scam. They lost access to their hotmail account.

[bEaUtIfUlbRuNeTtE]

Nyah, you had no way of knowing its age and its still a valid warning. These scams keep cropping up.

But, it is a good idea to check out these warnings before spreading them around. Many of these scams are as old or older than the Internet. Snopes.com does a great job of evaluating these threats.

We just had someone post that they fell for the your e-mail address is about to be purged, please supply your login info scam. They lost access to their hotmail account.

I get email scams almost everyday and it's getting quit annoying. I get about 30 of them every morning when I check my email. I don't know how these scammers get my email but I'm about ready to delete that account and start a new one. How do I prevent them from sending me emails?

[ScottGem]

How do I prevent them from sending me emails?

If someone comes up with the answer to that it would be like them winning the lottery.

Spam is the scourge of the Net. The main problem is that e-mail is generally free even if they get a .5% response its worth it. So as long as naïve suckers respond, there will be spam.

[NeedKarma]

Go with a new Gmail account - best spam filter in the business.

[bEaUtIfUlbRuNeTtE]

I would switch it's just that I've had my email address for about 6 years now and to change it would be life changing, if you know what I mean.

[NeedKarma]

Well I'm not sure about "life-changing" but I get you. :)

[ebaines]

Go with a new Gmail account - best spam filter in the business.

Agreed!