809 Area Code Scam
How the Scam Works:
A consumer receives an unsolicited email, phone call, page or fax directing the customer to call a number in the 809 area code. The customer is then persuaded to immediately call this number for various reasons, such as to claim a prize, to avoid litigation, to receive information about a loved one, or to obtain information about a job opening. Once the scammer gets the customer on the line, he or she is often put on hold for long lengths of time, or asked a series of questions to extend the call length, or kept on the line by a recording which sounds like a live person.
Why It Works:
The 809 area code is used for international calls to the Dominican Republic. However, dialing this area code from the United States does not require an international code to complete the call. Because of this, consumers believe they are dialing domestically. The real issue for consumers is that illegitimate 809 numbers are "pay-per-call" numbers. This means they have a similar billing structure to the commonly used 1-900 numbers. Consumers may be charged $25.00 or more per minute. Since this area code does not fall under FCC jurisdiction, there are no legal requirements to alert callers to the extra charges.
How The Scam Has Evolved
In 1996, when this scam first surfaced, the 809 area code encompassed much of the Caribbean including the British Virgin Islands, and the Bahamas. Since then, the area codes of the Caribbean have split. Now the 809 area code is used solely for the Dominican Republic. 242 covers the Bahamas and 284 is used for the British Virgin Islands. These area codes can also be incorporated into the scam.
What Consumers Can Do:
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Carefully examine all long-distance charges on your bill.
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If any notification with an unfamiliar call back number is received, dial an operator or check the phone book to verify the location of the area code before calling back.
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Be aware that international calls can look like domestic calls with a 10-digit dialing pattern. Because Canadian and Caribbean numbers don't require an international code to complete the call, these also appear like domestic interstate calls.
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Contact your long-distance carrier about calls or charges that seem unfamiliar.
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Check with credible consumer action groups like the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) or the National Fraud Information Center (www.fraud.org) for updated information on this and other phone scams