The 809 Area Code Scam Targets U.S. Consumers

As if consumers don't have enough to deal with in fighting and recognizing scams and fraud, an old scam has recently been resurrected to further confuse and rip off consumers.

September 20, 2003 - As if consumers don't have enough to deal with in fighting and recognizing scams and fraud, an old scam has recently been resurrected to further confuse and rip off consumers. The 809 area code scam - also called the 809 phone scam - has been around for a few years but is gaining attention once again. Just as with most scams, con artists will make as much money as possible before shutting down operations. Then at a time of their choosing they resurface and start the fraud all over again.

David Wood, founder of CheapTelephoneBills.com (http://www.cheaptelephonebills.com), gives this example of the scam. "Basically it's a pay-per-call scam that plays on the emotions of consumers. You return home to find an urgent message on your answering machine. The caller informs you that a relative or friend has been in a serious accident and has provided your number as the emergency contact number. It is urgent that you call them back at 1-809-xxx-xxxx."

Keep in mind the scam can also involve you winning a prize, a lottery, etc. Wood states, "although it looks like a normal state-to-state call, you are in fact making a long distance call to the Dominican Republic which can cost you a lot of money per call. Once you have placed the call, the intention of the con artist is to keep you on the line as long as possible to rack-up the cost. Because this is a pay-per-call con, you might even be met with an automated message that will keep you on-hold as long as possible."

It's difficult to come to a conclusion of the actual cost per minute. Some have estimated the rate as high as $2,600.00 per minute while others have put it as low as $3.00 per minute. When asked about the cost of these calls, Wood said, "my best estimate is somewhere between $3.00 and $25.00 per minute. I checked with the FCC and they highly doubt the $2,600.00 per minute cost, but keep in mind that even if it's not thousands per minute, it would be very easy to run your bill into the hundreds of dollars with just one call. Even if it's only a few dollars, you're still being scammed and losing money."

The FCC warns the 809 area code scam can also appear in the form of a pager message or an email. They also advise to watch for other area code scams coming from the 284 and 876 area codes. The 284 code goes to the British Virgin Islands and 876 goes to Jamaica, both being international calls from the States.

If you have been a victim of this scam or think you were a target of it, you can file a complaint with the FCC by calling 1-877-382-4357 or online at www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html.

To make sure you are never taken advantage of by these con artists, Wood gives this advice: "Always know who it is you are calling, whether it is an 809 area code or any other area code."