Posted: 7/29/2010 4:37:16 PM EDT
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Ok, mother-in-law receives a call, ID say local. She picks up and "congratulations you've won money, call me back for further details". Mom, being an elderly Mom, calls back and it turns out she's calling Jamaica. Next thing she has $ thousands showing on her phone bill.
Anybody know how this scam works - Foreign dirt-bags making calls and charging to her number? If so, how does this happen? Phone co. is still telling Mom she owes $500. I think it sounds like they aren't being her friend either. Granted, my mother-in-law is not all together. Opine PLEASE. |
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Jamaica can be dialed via just area code+number. There is no international code required. HOWEVER, it is still an international number and charged international rates. The person on the other end of the line will try to keep the caller on the phone for as long as possible while the caller is being charged anywhere from $7-$100 a minute for the call. Apparently this money doesn't go to the phone company, but rather to the scammer, who sits back and gets rich in the process. Tell your mom-in-law to never call an 876 area code. Even if it appears as "local", the call can be forwarded to anywhere in the world for exorbitant rates. Better yet, tell her to stop entertaining "you've won money" claims on the phone, internet, mail, etc. |
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I seem to remember a few months ago, one of the fliers in my Verizon bill mentioned this scam. They didn't go into details about how it worked, other than to say that people were calling and when the call was returned, it always turned out to be an out-of-country call, and the charges ran into many thousands of $$$. In many cases, it was a 3rd party who billed Veriozn for the call, who would then pass the charge on to the customer. Their only advice was to make sure the number you are calling is either a known number, or call the operator or business office to determine if it was one of these scam calls.
I didn't read the notice in detail, but it was included in the month newsletter that Verizon includes with their monthly invoice. |
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Was it a 900 number? There was a lady around here who set up her own 900 number. She would walk to peoples houses asking to use their phone saying her car broke down. She would call the number and her boyfriend would pick her up and drop her off at the next driveway. |
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Let the phone company know you are involving the media and your state Attorney General, and your attorney considers them to be accessories to grand theft.
They just might kill the bill to avoid the bad press. The phone company no longer has a monopoly in a lot of areas. |
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Quoted: Jamaica can be dialed via just area code+number. There is no international code required. HOWEVER, it is still an international number and charged international rates. The person on the other end of the line will try to keep the caller on the phone for as long as possible while the caller is being charged anywhere from $7-$100 a minute for the call. Apparently this money doesn't go to the phone company, but rather to the scammer, who sits back and gets rich in the process. Tell your mom-in-law to never call an 876 area code. Better yet, tell her to stop entertaining "you've won money" claims on the phone, internet, mail, etc. OH NO!!!!!  ––- On Thu, 7/29/10, Benin Rep. Diplomatic Delivery Service<[email protected]> wrote: From: Benin Rep. Diplomatic Delivery Service <[email protected]> Subject: Benin Rep. Diplomatic Delivery Service To: Date: Thursday, July 29, 2010, 8:58 AM Benin Rep. Diplomatic Delivery Service, 26 International Airport Road Cotonou, Benin. [email protected] +22999543713 COMPANY REGISTRATION NO :EG58945 CODE NUMBER: 0140479 Hello, This diplomatic delivery company has a consignment to be delivered to you, this consignment is a box containing $12.2 million U.S. Dollars. You might be wondering the source of this money, the money is a contract released fund from the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS), get back to us for more details on delivery will be communicated to you after you must have reconfirmed your delivery address for security purposes. Furthermore, you are required to reconfirm the following information below, NAME: SEX: AGE: ADDRESS: TELEPHONE NUMBER: NAME OF YOUR NEAREST AIRPORT: COUNTRY: Further details concerning delivery will be given upon reconfirmation of address. Regards, Mr. Ibe Aguma Head Diplomat, Benin Rep. Diplomatic Delivery Service, Cotonou, Benin Republic.  |
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So why is the phone company helping these scammers? This. I definitely don't understand the phone system as well as I should because I would expect the phone company to be your advocate (as you are their customer) and block these numbers and deny the scammers payment. My credit card company does this much for me. I've had waiters pull copy my credit card info while they were running my card and then try to buy stuff with it. My CC company shot them down right away and I was no worse for the wear. |
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Thanks guys, when we get the bill, I wouldn't be surprised it's the 900 number scams mentioned. And we'll need to duke it out with the phone co.
Warned Mom about the "you've won something" calls, but she's not all with it. Also suggested not picking up call from unknown numbers. Screen calls via voicemail. |
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I know that anyone can buy a pay phone and set it up to charge whatever they want (or they used to be able to), I got hit with some amazing bills when my kiddo used one to call me collect from out of state. Totally different situation, but I was able to get the charges taken off my bill after I contacted someone in the state. I'll be darned now if I can remember what agency that was though. If I do remember I'll post it here. *note that the phone company refused to take the charges off
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