Jiglu: Farmtalking: Discussion: Fw: Telephone scam in operation

Originally from: David

----- Original Message -----
From: ...

Originally from: FARMERS FOR ACTION
To: "Undisclosed-Recipient:;"@cirrus.freezone.co.uk
Sent: Friday, November 28, 2003 11:25 AM
Subject: Telephone scam in operation – be warned

The following E mail is from a FFA member regarding a telephone scam. Probably many of us would just put the phone down, but thought it wise to warn everybody who in turn can warn others, especially maybe elderly relatives etc.,

Marilyn Handley
Secretary

----- Original Message -----
From: ...

Originally from: Chris Candy
To: FFA ; Caroline Waller ; Alun Davies ; Jayne Edwards ; Karen & Jon Whittaker ; Kevin Thomas ; Nicola Darlington ; Nikki Sheehan ; Shirley Carlisle Sent: Thursday, November 27, 2003 10:35 PM
Subject: Phone scam warning (This is not a joke)

Please be warned this could cost you a fortune,
This was passed on to me by a friend who has experienced this on his home,office and his Mum's phone

Regards

Chris

Please find below details of a phone scam that is in operation.

This is a phone scam that is currently used to make people run up very

expensive charges on their phone bills. This warning relates to home
and/or work phones (including mobiles).
The methodology being used goes thus:
Your phone rings and you get a recorded message as follows:
"Congratulations, we are calling to advise you that you have won an all
expenses paid trip to ......... Please press 9 now to hear further
details".
If 9 is pressed, this connects you to a premium line that bills in the
region of £20 per minute. It gets worse, once you dial 9 and connect,
even if you disconnect immediately, the other end will stay connected

for

a minimum of 5 minutes – £100. Some people have received phone bills

for

hundreds and hundreds of pounds. If you stay connected and listen to
the
gibberish, it takes 11 minutes and the final part of the call asks you

key in your postcode and house number (which has other serious
considerations) and then after a wait of a further two minutes says
"Sorry, you are not one of the lucky winners" and disconnects. This
would
mean a bill of £260!!!
Unfortunately the calls are originating from outside the UK apparently
and
BT are relatively powerless. The only safe solution is to hang up

before