Re: FN-FORUM: OT Austrailian scam phonecalls

date posted 26th January 2004 21:10

On Monday 26 Jan 2004 6:49 pm, Hugh wrote:
> > When this came up a few weeks back the consensus said it was an urban
> > myth.
> >
> > I got the call yesterday.

Complete with "press 9"???

> Dont remember that - what was the scam?

As follows, with my comments at the time.

On Tuesday 02 Dec 2003 4:26 pm, Thorny_bird wrote:
> I do not know if this is just a joke or serious, but was passed on to m=
e.

news:uk.telecom helps if you're worried by things like this.
Look for a thread called "Hoax e-mail on recorded mnessages calls?"

> If you press 9, you'll be connected to a premium line that bills in the
> region of =A320 per minute.

How, exactly?

This is, if anybody's in any doubt, a hoax.

There *are* a lot of these recorded messages coming in at the moment,
but the "catch" is that you are invited to call an 0906 number (1.50=20
per minute).

Personally I put the phone to one side and try to waste as much of=20
their phone bill as possible. As it comes in as "no number available" -=20
indistinguishable from a legitimate international call - they are=20
effectively impossible to filter out.

99% of emails going round warning you not to open up email, flash your=20
lights at cars, put your hand under the seat at the cinema, *whatever*,
are hoax. Bogus. Don't pass them on. Check with snopes.com; check with
Google; don't pass them on.

I am still waiting for an example of the one per cent that isn't bogus.

--=20
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