Anyone heard of this phone scam? I think it is recent.

[Ronin]

PHONE/PAGER SCAM

A Government agency was recently alerted to the following phone/pager
scam.

For anyone who has a pager and/or cell phone, DO NOT ever dial area
codes 809, 284 or 876.

SCAM:

You will receive a message asking you to call a number beginning with
area code 809. The reason you're asked to call varies - from a family
member who is ill, to someone who has been arrested, died, you won a
wonderful prize, etc. In each case, you are told to call the 809 number
right away. Since there are so many new area codes these days, people
unknowingly return these calls. If you call from the Continental U.S.
(CONUS), you hear a long recorded message designed to keep you on the
phone as long as possible. While you are listening, however, you are
apparently being charged CIRCA $2425 per minute. As an example provided
by Verizon, when you get your phone bill, you will be charged more than
$24,100.00.

WHY THE SCAM WORKS:

The 809 area code is located in the British Virgin Islands (the
Bahamas). 809 area code can be used as a "pay-per-call" number, similar
to 900 numbers in CONUS. Since, however, 809 is out of CONUS, it is not
covered by U.S. regulations regarding 900 numbers, which require that
you be notified/warned of charges and rates involved when you call a
"pay-per-call" number. There is, also, no such requirement that the
company provide a time period during which you may terminate the call
without being charged.

It is important to prevent becoming a victim of this scam, since trying
to fight the charges afterwards can become a real nightmare. If you
complain, both your local phone company and your long distance carrier
will not want to get involved since, in fact, you did actually place the
call. Company policy is likely to be that they were simply providing
the billing for the foreign company. You will end up dealing with a
foreign company that argues they have done nothing wrong.