The Better Business Bureau warns consumers to be suspicious of e-mail, voice mail messages or pagers referring you to call phone numbers with an 809 area code. This scam has been around for several years and while the amounts you could be charged ($100 or more) are a hoax, you will be charged for an international call.
Because the 809 area code is not located in the U.S., it is not covered under the U.S. regulations for 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. While many U.S. phones have 900 number blocking (to avoid these kinds of charges),it will not prevent calls to the 809 area code.
The scam works in several different ways. One version of this scam is sent via e-mail typically with a subject line of "Alert" of "Unpaid Account." The message usually gives the recipient 24 hours to "settle the outstanding account" of you're threatened with legal proceedings. To avoid court costs, the recipient is asked to call a number with an 809 area code.
Another version is a phone or pager scam. You receive a message on your voice mail, answering machine or pager that asks you to call a number beginning with area code 809. The sender makes the message sound like an emergency, such as you've won a wonderful prize, a family member is ill or has been arrested. In each case, you're told to call the 809 number right away. When you do so, you reach British Virgin Islands. You may wish to contact your local phone company to find out how much the call will be, BEFORE calling the number.
Because there are so many new area codes today, people unknowingly return these calls. In some instances, the person who's answering the phone will pretend they don't understand you or you'll just get a recorded message. This
For victims of this scam there is little, if any, recourse. Remember, no matter how you get the message, if you are asked to call a number with an 809 area code that is not familiar, investigate further or simply disregard the message. Other area codes for which consumers are reporting similar scams include 268, 664 and the international access code of 011. The U.S. government and long distance phone companies are investigating options at this point.
Want to learn more? http://www.snopes.com/fraud/telephone/809.asp
This information is general in nature and is not intended as a reliability report on any company, product, or service.
The Better Business Bureau of Utah is a 501 (c)(6) not-for-profit corporation serving the entire state of Utah. The organization is funded primarily by membership dues from more than 2,800 local business and professional firms. The BBB promotes integrity, consumer confidence and business ethics through business self-regulation in the local marketplace. Services provided by the BBB include reliability reports on companies and charitable organizations, general monitoring of advertising in the marketplace, dispute resolution services, and consumer/business education programs. All services are provided at no cost to the public, with the occasional exception of arbitration. Visit www.utah.bbb.org or call 801-892-6009.