Dangerous Area Codes

[TiasTreasures]

If you receive a phone message from area codes 809, 284, or 876, with a request to call back, DO NOT CALL! Some people have been charged thousands of dollars when they returned the call. I just found this out, and it's verified by AT&T.

http://www.att.com/gen/press-room?pid=6045

"This long distance phone scam causes consumers to inadvertently incur high charges on their phone bills. Consumers usually receive a message telling them to call a phone number with an 809, 284 or 876 area code in order to collect a prize, find out information about a sick relative, etc. The caller assumes the number is a typical three-digit U.S. area code; however, the caller is actually connected to a phone number outside the United States, often in Canada or the Caribbean, and charged international call rates. Unfortunately, consumers don't find out that they have been charged higher international call rates until they receive their bill."

[ejean9]

shocking, you cant keep up with all the scams..

[bluebedouin]

...Some people have been charged thousands of dollars... it's verified by AT&T.

No,they haven't & it isn't!
See link to Hoax-Slayer below.
All they've said is they incur high charges.

..you cant keep up with all the scams..

Maybe not but,you can check them out on Hoax-Slayer

Or Snopes

[TiasTreasures]

It's very strange that AT&T would perpetuate a myth like this. The link in my OP is to their official site, and it's current.

[TiasTreasures]

No,they haven't & it isn't!
See link to Hoax-Slayer below.
All they've said is they incur high charges.


Maybe not but,you can check them out on Hoax-Slayer

Or Snopes

Hoax-Slayer says the text was in an "email from AT&T". The link I gave is to AT&T's official, genuine website. Some of the details listed by them do not match what AT&T says, either.

Your link to Snopes brought up this scam and some related ones, and they do say it's a genuine scam. I don't know how much "high charges" means, but if it were ONLY $50 or so I would be very upset.

[bluebedouin]

It's very strange that AT&T would perpetuate a myth like this. The link in my OP is to their official site, and it's current.

They haven't.The myth is the thousands of dollars charged.

[bluebedouin]

There are two "scams" involved here.The original one about phoning the high charge rate number;yes that's a scam to get money from you.
The other is in the form of the email received & subsequently passed on.Not a scam in the true sense of the word,more of a spam.It's been sensationalized by someone adding the "thousands of dollars" tag to it,hoping people will buy into it & pass it on.