Phone Scam? Or email phone scam scam?

[HardScrabble]

Received the following email. Actually received two or three of them from different folks I know. All trying to be helpful I'm sure.

Not sure if this is at all legit. Most times these kind of these tend to circulate and are some kind of hoax within themselves. maybe someone around here works with a telecommunications type company and give out the straight skinny.

PASS ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW

I received a telephone call last evening from an individual identifying himself as an AT&T Service technician who was conducting a test on 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 enables them to place long distance calls billed to your home phone number. I was further informed that this scam has been originating from many local jails/prisons.

I have also verified this information with UCB Telecom, Pacific Bell, MCI, Bell Atlantic and GTE. Please beware.

DO NOT press 90# for ANYONE. The AT&T 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 on this information to them.

After checking with CINGULAR they said it was true, so do not dial
(9),zero(0), the pound sign # and hang up for anyone. This works on mobile phones too.

PLEASE PASS ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW

 

[majestyx]

From Hoaxbusters:

90# Warning
January 1998

This warning is basically true for some but not all phone systems. Some PBX systems transfer a call to an outside, long distance operator when you type 90# giving the caller an outside line on your dime. It works if your phone system requires you to dial 9 to get an outside line, 0 to get an operator and # to transfer the incoming call to the line you have just dialed. Few home phones require you to dial 9 to get an outside line so dialing 90# will only get you a busy signal. As this is one of thousands of potential scams, sending out a message to everyone you know probably does more damage than the scam being warned about.

Link to site.

 

[97forever]

Glad you're around Maj.