Raulandpinboy
<font color=blue>Table-dancing auctioneer<br><font
- Joined
- Jul 15, 2001
- Messages
- 1,705
Hey kids I just had a friend of mine call me and ask me a question about a weird call she got on her answering machine. Since its late she was asleep and the machine picked up and they left a message, she then listened to the message and it was a woman asking her to call a number that started with the 809 area code claiming it was important.
Since her husband works the late shift and there is no phone where he works, but I have him on my Nextel, so she called me and I called him and he was fine. (why she didnt call his cell phone I dont know)
So I said I would check and see what I could find out about the call normally I would say call the number see who it is, but I had heard something about off the wall area codes, so I did a little research and its pretty interesting, so I thought I would share it with everybody.
809 is in the Dominican Republic so its not required for you to dial a country code, now to the unknown user it could just be a city in Florida your calling since we have so many area codes as it is. Here is where its gets fun they are not governed by US regulations so there is no requirement for you to be warned that you are calling a pay-per-call toll number much like a 900 call.
There is no limit to the amount they charge either so you could be charged anywhere from $20 to $200 dollars per minute, and usually you will get a recording that tells you to wait, and the numbers just keep adding up.
Along with the Dominican Republic we have the US Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas to worry about.
I got this off the Internet
The 809 area code can be used as a "pay-per-call" number, similar to 900 numbers in the US. Since 809 is not in the US, it is not covered by U.S. regulations of 900 numbers, which require that you be notified and warned of charges and rates involved when you call a pay-per-call" number. There is also no requirement that the company provide a time period during which you may terminate the call without being charged. Further, whereas many U.S. homes that have 900 number blocking to avoid these kinds of charges, they do not work in preventing calls to the 809 area code. We recommend 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, just disregard the message.
And this
Subject: DON'T EVER 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 to all your friends and family so they don't get scammed! MAJOR SCAM: Don't respond to Emails, phone calls, or web pages which tell you to call an "809" area Phone Number. This is a very important issue of Scam Busters because it alerts you to a scam that is spreading *extremely* quickly, can easily cost you $2400 or more, and is difficult to avoid unless you are aware of it. We'd like to thank Verizon for bringing this scam to our attention. This scam has also been identified by the National Fraud Information Center and is costing victims lots of money. There are lots of different permutations of this scam.
So is it true? Who knows, I just know 809 is in the Dominican Republic and if they can get you to call the number and if its a pay-per-call number you could be charged anywhere from $20 to $200 per minute and there is nothing you can do about it since the FCC is powerless to intervene your local phone company will just pass the bill to you, and you might have to pay.
So play it safe dont call 809 unless your calling to give your bank account number to the exiled king of South Africa that is willing to deposit 300 million that he snuck out of the country, and he is willing to give you 10% all you need to do is give him your bank account number so he can wire the money into it. Do you know my Aunt actually fell for this.
Since her husband works the late shift and there is no phone where he works, but I have him on my Nextel, so she called me and I called him and he was fine. (why she didnt call his cell phone I dont know)
So I said I would check and see what I could find out about the call normally I would say call the number see who it is, but I had heard something about off the wall area codes, so I did a little research and its pretty interesting, so I thought I would share it with everybody.
809 is in the Dominican Republic so its not required for you to dial a country code, now to the unknown user it could just be a city in Florida your calling since we have so many area codes as it is. Here is where its gets fun they are not governed by US regulations so there is no requirement for you to be warned that you are calling a pay-per-call toll number much like a 900 call.
There is no limit to the amount they charge either so you could be charged anywhere from $20 to $200 dollars per minute, and usually you will get a recording that tells you to wait, and the numbers just keep adding up.
Along with the Dominican Republic we have the US Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas to worry about.
I got this off the Internet
The 809 area code can be used as a "pay-per-call" number, similar to 900 numbers in the US. Since 809 is not in the US, it is not covered by U.S. regulations of 900 numbers, which require that you be notified and warned of charges and rates involved when you call a pay-per-call" number. There is also no requirement that the company provide a time period during which you may terminate the call without being charged. Further, whereas many U.S. homes that have 900 number blocking to avoid these kinds of charges, they do not work in preventing calls to the 809 area code. We recommend 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, just disregard the message.
And this
Subject: DON'T EVER 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 to all your friends and family so they don't get scammed! MAJOR SCAM: Don't respond to Emails, phone calls, or web pages which tell you to call an "809" area Phone Number. This is a very important issue of Scam Busters because it alerts you to a scam that is spreading *extremely* quickly, can easily cost you $2400 or more, and is difficult to avoid unless you are aware of it. We'd like to thank Verizon for bringing this scam to our attention. This scam has also been identified by the National Fraud Information Center and is costing victims lots of money. There are lots of different permutations of this scam.
So is it true? Who knows, I just know 809 is in the Dominican Republic and if they can get you to call the number and if its a pay-per-call number you could be charged anywhere from $20 to $200 per minute and there is nothing you can do about it since the FCC is powerless to intervene your local phone company will just pass the bill to you, and you might have to pay.
So play it safe dont call 809 unless your calling to give your bank account number to the exiled king of South Africa that is willing to deposit 300 million that he snuck out of the country, and he is willing to give you 10% all you need to do is give him your bank account number so he can wire the money into it. Do you know my Aunt actually fell for this.
I'm surprised everyone hasn't heard about it by now.
