Premium Rate Scam - Be Aware Of Missed Calls And Other Scams
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by: DavidSmythe
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Word Count: 482
This article describes some prevalent Premium Rate Scams. We illustrate the common techniques used by scamsters, and attempt to make people aware of various problems. The first example we address is the issue of missed calls on your mobile phone. There may be something suspicious going on if you receive a missed call from someone at an unknown number beginning with a 0709 prefix.
This scam is simple but effective, and you can easily be taken. The scammers dial in a number but just for a fraction of a minute, and anticipate that you will call back. The game begins here; they are going to use the number to defraud your telephone bill. When you call in, the cash register immediately starts to ring. What happens is this: you are dialing into a premium rate number and being charged for a call that you did not intend to make.
Some people have exaggerated the rates however. They have claimed that a person can be charged 50 per minute for a scam call. The regulatory body of Premium Rate Number services, ICSTIS, has clearly stated that the charge for a premium rate number cannot more than 1.50 per minute.
The point to note is that even if you are not losing a huge amount, definitely you are losing some money and the fraudsters are making a windfall. The remedy is simple and you can easily save yourself from getting duped by using a little common sense. When you get a missed call from a 0709 number and you are not sure, preferably do not call back.
If you think that the call may be from a business associate, call back. But the first instance you feel that the person on the other end is trying to take advantage of you monetarily, immediately hang up. These kinds of scams die a quick death primarily because people become aware of them and because the authorities take stern action.
Another scam happened in Luton in the United Kingdom. It is even more shocking. Typically a well-dressed distressed lady knocks on your door. She asks for help. She explains that her car has broken down and that she needs to call her husband. Being a Good Samaritan, you decide to help her out. You hand her your phone. She makes the call. The call however is definitely not to her husband but an Interactive Voice Recording system.
The lady in actuality has used your phone to call a prime rate number. She will make money from the call. But until you receive your bill, you will not realize that you have been duped. People have exaggerated the amount you can be billed. Rumor mills put the figure at 50 per minute. But ICSTIS by law puts the limit at 1.50 per minute.
Scams like the above are common in the United Kingdom. Be careful not to fall into the trap set by these scamsters.
About the Author
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