Phone Scams, 900 Numbers, and International Dialing Plans Valerie Hartt and Lee Ridgway

Talk isn't always cheap. Phone scams are costing the unwary a lot of 
money. In the last several months a scam involving the 809 area code has 
become rampant, and this scam has recently expanded to other area codes 
(268 and 664). The best way to avoid being victimized is to know about 
the scam and how it works - in all its permutations. This article gives 
the lowdown on the 809 phone scam. It also covers MIT's policy 
concerning 900 phone numbers and changes in international dialing.
 
Messages from Unknown Callers
The phone scam starts when you receive an "urgent" message: it may be 
left on your answering machine or in your voice mailbox or be sent via 
email. (If you have a pager, you may get a request to call to an 
unfamiliar-looking number.)
 
The message urges you to call a number in the 809 area code, for any of 
a variety of reasons: a threat of legal action on an overdue account; a 
family emergency such as illness, death, or arrest; or an appeal to 
claim a prize. Once you dial the number, you get a long recorded message 
or end up speaking to someone who responds in broken English. The name 
of the game is to keep you on the phone as long as possible. Charges run 
$25 or more per minute, but you won't discover this until you receive 
your phone bill.

Yet another angle is to advertise in  newspaper and Internet ads for 
overseas job opportunities or "mystery shoppers" who can earn money by 
checking on store quality. Typically these ads list a local number to 
call, which in turn refers callers to an 809 number.
 
The Perpetrators
When you dial an 809 number, you are calling somewhere in the Caribbean 
and thus making an international long-distance call. In addition, the 
809 area code can be used as a "pay-per-call" number, similar to 900 
numbers in the United States. Since the 809 area code is not covered by 
U.S. regulations that control the use of 900 numbers, there is no legal 
requirement to inform the caller about any rates, fees, or charges 
connected with the call.
 
Trying to fight the charges after the fact can be difficult. Local U.S. 
phone companies and long-distance carriers have been reluctant to 
become involved, since they are simply providing the billing for the 
overseas phone company. And the overseas phone company will claim to 
have done nothing wrong. In fact, both scam artists and overseas 
phone companies profit from these calls.

Unfortunately, the scam may continue to broaden. The 809 area code used 
to cover the entire Caribbean, but in the last year many Caribbean 
countries have changed to new area codes (see below). Some of these 
have already been implicated in new scams.

Your best bet is awareness and caution. If you are asked to call a 
number with an 809 area code (or other area code that you don't 
recognize), investigate further or disregard the message.

Policy Change re 900 Numbers
MIT's policy has been to block all access to 900 numbers from campus 
phones, because most such numbers were not related to MIT business. 
(These "pay-per-call" numbers have typically been entertainment-
oriented.) However, more companies have begun to use 900 numbers for 
business purposes, such as product support and check verification. With 
900 numbers moving into the mainstream, MIT Telecommunications has 
revised its policy to allow removal of the block for individual phones.
To remove a 900 block, a department's Administrative Officer or other 
authorized person must send a written request to the Telecommunications 
Customer Service Center in E19-741 with the following information: 

*  Name of the staff or faculty member requiring access to 900 numbers

*  MIT phone number to be unblocked

*  Acknowledgment of responsibility for charges associated with 900 
calls.

The unblocked phone should be secured from unauthorized access. 

Changes in International Calling
The world is running out of phone numbers! Changes in North American 
area codes are under way, including the possibility of new codes in 
Massachusetts. Changes in international calling are also coming, 
with the prospect of 15-digit numbers on the horizon.
 
For international calls, most 12-digit country and city codes remain 
valid. What the new international dialing plan makes possible is the 
assignment of numbers of 13, 14, or 15 digits. Deutsche Telecom has 
already assigned longer numbers in Frankfurt and the same will soon 
happen in Tokyo. Other cities with the prospect of longer numbers 
include Amsterdam, London, Munich, Osaka, and Rome.

Because new number assignments are under the control of each country's 
Postal, Telephone and Telegraph authority, AT&T may not always be 
notified of changes in advance. If you have trouble placing a call, 
check with an international operator (dial 9 + 00) or MIT operator to 
verify the country's number format.

Questions? Call the Telecommunications Customer Service Center at 
x3-3690.

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Area Codes to Watch Out For

Country                 Code 
          
Bahamas                 242          
Barbados                        246            
Antigua                 268            
Cayman Islands          345      
Montserrat                      664            
St. Lucia                       758           
Puerto Rico                     787            
St. Kitts/Nevis         869            
Jamaica                 876            
Bermuda                 441