JUNK E-MAIL & SCAMS

This is a guest entry prepared by request.

I recently received an e-mail that said in part.

"Do Not DIAL AREA CODE
809,
284,AND
876
THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION
PROVIDED TO US BY AT&T. DON'T EVER DIAL AREA CODE
809

This
One is being distributed all over the US . This is
Pretty scary, especially given the way they try to get
You to call.

Be sure
You read this and pass it on.

They get you to call
By telling you that it is information about a family member who has
been ill or to tell you someone has been
Arrested, died, or to let you know you have won a wonderful prize, etc.
In each case, you are told to call the 809 number right away. Since
there are so many new area codes these days, people unknowingly return these calls.

If you call from the U.S. , you will apparently be charged $2425
Per-minute.

Or, you'll get a long recorded message. The point is, they will try
to keep you on the phone as long as possible to increase the charges.
WHY IT WORKS:

The 809 area code is located in the Dominican Republic .
The charges afterward can become a real nightmare. That's because
you did actually make the call. If you complain, both your local phone company
and your long distance carrier will not want to get involved and will most
likely tell you that they are simply providing the billing for the foreign
company. You'll end up dealing with a foreign company that argues they have done
nothing wrong.

Please forward this entire message to your friends, family and
colleagues to help them become aware of this scam.

AT&T VERIFIES IT 'S TRUE:
http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=6045

SNOPES VERIFIES IT 'S TRUE:
http://www..snopescom/fraud/telephone/809.asp
This was sent to me, so I am passing it on...."
end of quote

Now another view.

The AT&T reference is valid. It tells you what to do in the remote chance that you do get caught up. It does NOT say to never dial because they are valid area codes. Just do not dial them unless you know for sure who you are calling.

The Snopes reference will not get you there. A period is missing. Correct reference is

correct snopes is http://www.snopes.com/fraud/telephone/809.asp

What Snopes really says is:

"Origins: Although the basics of the "809 area code" scam are real, this item has also become one of the most relentlessly overpublicized instances of online scarelore, with dire warnings all out of proportion to the scam's rate of occurrence and potential for damage having continuously circulated on the Internet for the better part of a decade."

Lesson: The e-mail world is cluttered with stuff of little value.