A word of caution

[Jokersmoker]

Just recieved an interesting email about a scam going on ,
where a caller asks you to push 9+0+#.What happens then
is he gets access to your phone line and can make long distance calls using your line,Thought you might want to know!
Jokersmoker
Original email: FYI - Do NOT push 90# on your home phone.
> > >> Got a call last night from an individual identifying himself as an
> > >> AT&T
> > >> Service technician who was conducting a test on our telephone lines.
> > >> He stated that to complete the test I should touch
nine(9),zero(0),the
> > >> pound sign (#) and then hang up. Luckily, I was suspicious and
> > refused.
> > >>
> > >> Upon contacting the telephone company, I was informed that by
pushing
> > >> 90#,
> > >> you give the requesting individual full access to your telephone
line,
> > >> which allows them to place long distance telephone calls billed to
your
> > >> home
> > >> phone number. I was further informed that this scam has been
> > originating
> > >>
> > >> from many of the local jails/prisons. I have also verified this
> > >> information
> > >> with UCB Telecomm, Pacific Bell, MCI, Bell Atlantic, GTE and NYNEX.
> > >> Please
> > >> beware. DO NOT press 90# for ANYONE. The GTE Security Department
> > >> requested
> > >> that I share this information with EVERYONE I KNOW.
> > >>
> > >> PLEASE pass this on to everyone YOU know. If you have mailing lists
> > >> and/or newsletters from organizations you are connected with, I
> > >> encourage
> > >> you to
> > >> pass this on.

 

[SKiller]

Thanx, actually I can think of no situation where your phone company would need you to complete any kind of "test" for them. So if anyone calls you ask you to test something for them, pretending[edit i meant "claiming"] to be a phone company rep, be VERY suspicious!

 

[Farbio]

wow, joker comes and slums in ot from hot deals, i'm amazed

anyways, thanks for the words of caution, i've seen that thing going around on forward for awhile, have no idea how true it is

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Around here, I've seen that warning many times. I thought that everyone knew that.

*oops*


guess I should keep to my narrow mindedness

 

[WombatWoman]

This is a semi-hoax. This "scam" only works on telephones where you have to dial 9 to get an outside line. Unless you have to dial 9 to get an outside line at home, this scam does not affect residential telephone users. Most business telephones will not be vulnerable,either, because of traps built in to prevent this sort of thing.

 

[Bling Bling]

D'OH!!!!

 

[perry]

We had a warning passed around work about this, telling people to forward the calls to the help desk who will deal with it. Seems we did get a few calls to some of our sales lines asking for the person to press those numbers. Our system is setup right so that the scam wouldn't work.