Phoney AT& T tech call

[buickx]

>90# on the telephone
>
>
>
>
>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 GTE Security Department requested that I share this information
with
EVERYONE I
KNOW.
>
>
>

>


>
>After checking with Verizon they said it was true, so do not dial
(9),zero(0), the pound
sign # and hang up for anyone.

[69SkyInNJ]

If true, the bigger questions is...
Why would any phone company have that as 'an option' as part of your phone service? Seems like an unnecessary risk to me.

[alan]

Here's a little more info;

http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/jailcall.htm


There's more than one way it can be done, but it appears that it can only happen on business phone systems.

[nailheadina67]

I used to know the number to dial that when you hang up your phone it rings back but they changed it when they upgraded the phone systems for caller ID. It was nice to know b/c I could test my own ringers.........and also prank my kids! :Brow:

[no car]

I used to know the number to dial that when you hang up your phone it rings back but they changed it when they upgraded the phone systems for caller ID. It was nice to know b/c I could test my own ringers.........and also prank my kids! :Brow:

My brother actually has some kind of service like this in his house and it can be a pain! Seems every time we sneak to the bottom of the barn which is the heated race car shop, his wife will call and need something just when we get a beer cracked open!

This modern world leaves a man no where to hide!

Ken

[mechacode]

If you call your own number here and hang up, it'll ring a few seconds after you hang up but it will be a weird ring.