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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Orlando Florida
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    538

    Exclamation An 800 Number Scam!!

    Okay im not fully sure how true this is but its from my best friend. His neighbor was told something about a family member dying and to call this 1-800 number for more info. The neighbor called that and it redirected them to a 900 number with out them knowing and charged like $2400 dollars a minute (or that was the final bill after the complete phone call was over). Either way it charged them alot per minute and now the phone company says they cant deny payment for it which doesnt make since to me. Im in the Orlando area so i dont know if this is going around all over or just in Orlando. Just keep your eyes out and on the watch for these cheap scams.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Luxembourg
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    39
    Gosh.......how can they do that ?
    Surely you can push them into a wall....
    I am not a US resident , however I am sure that it is 100% illegal.

    Just find out the name of that company or Org , and spam around....
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
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    His neighbor was told something about a family member dying and to call this 1-800 number for more info.
    Is it a common practice for people in the USA to call 1-800 numbers to find out more information about a dead relitive?


  4. #4
    How was s/he notified to call the 1-800 number?


  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Orlando Florida
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    538
    not sure really.

  6. #6
    I saw a report about this on TV. The authorities were not able to stop it or file charges because the victims were the ones who called the number.

    It's a phone scam that leaves a message on people's phone that says there is an issue that they need to call back an (800) number but that number is really redirects to a charge number.

    The cops can't do anything because since the victim called the matter it's really a Consumer Affairs issue but Consumer Affairs is slow as crap and have to go through alot of red tape to file the complaint.

    Beware.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    The Big Easy -New Orleans
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    341
    http://www.state.ma.us/msp/scams.htm

    6. Because many consumers are now wary of the charges attached to '900 numbers,' or have blocked access to such numbers from their residential phones, many sexually oriented businesses have begun using an automatic switching system that allows a caller to dial an 800 number, after which the call is switched to a 900 pay-per-call number. Telephone bills may reflect only the 800 number called.
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  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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    i dont understand how they can allow people to be automatically transferred and billed like that, wouldn't the 1900 start billing the 1800 logically?
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  9. #9
    It is illegal. From the FTC:

    "Certain practices relating to 800 and 888 numbers are prohibited by the 900-Number Rule. For example, a company can’t charge you for dialing an 800 or 888 number unless you have entered into a valid presubscription agreement. Also, if you dial an 800 or other toll-free number, the company is prohibited from automatically connecting you to a 900-number service, and from calling you back collect."

    They just need to report this and they shouldn't be held responsible for those charges.

    Toll Free Info from the FTC website

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Posts
    1,874
    This already swept across Britain, normally a woman would arrive at the door and say her car stopped working and she needs to make a quick call to her husband, the number she rings is a premium rate number. You can lumbered with a huge bill, and the number belongs to her, so she ends up with your money. Nothing new, it's been going on a while now.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    California
    Posts
    247
    My neighbor had a program installed on her computer that would call 900 numbers. We found it because when she tried to get online, the modem was in use and she had a bunch of 900 calls on her phone bill that she didn't make.

    Formatted the computer and reinstalled Windows, the calls stopped... really strange! :|
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  12. #12
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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    Originally posted by Idgaf
    My neighbor had a program installed on her computer that would call 900 numbers. We found it because when she tried to get online, the modem was in use and she had a bunch of 900 calls on her phone bill that she didn't make.

    Formatted the computer and reinstalled Windows, the calls stopped... really strange! :|
    Pretty horny neighbour eh? These are known as "porno dialers", because people download and install them being assured it will provide porno .
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  13. #13
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Luxembourg
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    39
    LOL.

    Man......not necessarily porn you know....

    Hacking , porn , lottery online , casino online.....there are plenty of services using those dialers....

    really sorry for your neighbor..... but I guess that she will be forced to pay.

    Get something to protect yourselves... POPUP Killer , ad assassin , don't know.

    I know that those dialers are not l"lammer friendly" , and that tons of people actually run them without knowing even what they do .... and where they come from.... Get a cable connection ! LOL
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  14. #14
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
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    For Safety reasons, call 1800 numbers on payphones unless you know its a company that you are using. e.g. Eart*****, blah blah
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  15. #15
    I guess there is nothing you can do. Just be careful next time.

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Dec 2001
    Location
    Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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    you can take them to court/get them arrested by the sounds of it
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  17. #17
    Join Date
    Jul 2002
    Location
    Orlando Florida
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    538
    WOW! Im suprised there isnt much that can be done!

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Location
    Louisiana
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    wow that gives me an idea



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  19. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
    Posts
    522
    If you dispute a charge on your phone bill your phone company will not make you pay it until it is proven that you incured the charges willfully. (That's how it works with Bell South anyway).

    The charge just sits in limbo on your bill until it is resolved. There will usually be a number on your bill for customer service from the company that ripped you off. Believe it or not they will try and tell you that you have to pay, but if you push them and refuse, letting them know that you know it's illegal what they are doing, they will issue a credit. (unless they are lower than most and put a redirect 800 number as their customer service number as well....I never thought of that before now)

    I think they're just going after the quick buck from people who don't dispute it. They issue refunds to people who demand it and steal from those who let them. If they didn't issue and refund and someone complained they would get shut down (until they moved providers) so they give money back just to allow them to operate longer.

    I've had to deal with this before from some pop ad on a web site that when you clicked the X to close the browser instead of it closing the window it opened a 900 number connection and you had to ctrl+alt+delete close the window to shut the connection.
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  20. #20
    Join Date
    Sep 2002
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    522
    In case you are wondering what actually happened when I called the cs number, I got a company that was "just a billing company" for the rip off artists. They told me that the most they were allowed to do is reduce the charge by 50% and I would have to pay the balance.

    I figured that they were actually the rip off artists themselves and not just a billing company, but I played along. I told them that they company they were doing billing for was illegally billing people who had not requested any service and that I refused to pay and if a credit was not issued immediately I would report them and the rip off artists (who I thought I was talking to anyway).

    A money order was in my mailbox within a week for the amount of the charge on my bill. BellSouth had the $35, or whatever it was, on my bill in a special section saying it was being disputed. I used the money order from the company to pay the phone bill and clear off the charge.

    Bell South did not give me even the slightest bit of trouble. I called them before I called the rip off artists and they immediately put the charge on hold with no interest and showing no late payments or money due.

    Don't ever pay the money to a scam artist. The FTC and your phone company will back you if it's easy to do (like allowing you to dispute a charge and not billing you until it's settled), but if you go ahead and pay the bill and then have to sue to collect your funds back....I don't even want to think about that situation.
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  21. #21
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    Jul 2002
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    Sweden
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    Things like that happens all the time

    Now and again companies will get fake bills, and a lot of the time, the bill is payed, because it's a large company, and the billingdepartment thinks it's for some add-campain or something. When it hits a small company, the police is notified, and they trace the account.
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  22. #22
    You can also file a complaint with the FTC here:

    FTC Consumer Complaint Form

    They prolly quickly gave you your money back so you drop this and they go on ripping people off who just pay. I hope you report them to the FTC!

    Cheers!

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