[Chirurgeon]: Thomas Willeke <vytas@cyclone.Stanford.EDU>: warning: phone scam (fwd)

[brocc@juno.com (Eben L Kurtzman) (by way of Lady Elisabeth Erinn MacCabe <erin@fiac.net>)]

Poster: brocc@juno.com (Eben L Kurtzman) (by way of Lady Elisabeth Erinn MacCabe <erin@fiac.net>)

This appeared on the Chirurgeon's list and I thought I would forward it.

Lady Elisabeth Erinn MacCabe


--------- Begin forwarded message ----------
From: Thomas Willeke <vytas@cyclone.Stanford.EDU>
To: Mooseton <sca-crosston@netcom.com>
Subject: warning: phone scam (fwd)
Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 20:43:19 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID:
<Pine.GSO.3.96.980519204158.21589A-100000@cyclone.stanford.edu>

I suspect that most people on this list are smart enough not to follow
directions of unidentified callers, but here is the warning anyways...
	vytas

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 19:11:48 -0700 (PDT)
From: Rebecca Hansen <beckyh@leland.Stanford.EDU>
To: a-phi-o@lists.Stanford.EDU
Cc: ato-97@lists.Stanford.EDU, terra97-98@lists.Stanford.EDU
Subject: warning: phone scam

this is true; I just called AT&T customer service at 1-800-222-0300
to confirm it.   (May 19th, 1998)   -Becky


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 19 May 1998 12:54:38 -0700
From: keith <yikeith@leland.Stanford.EDU>
To: MSE Department Current Students:  ;
Cc: mse-emergency@forsythe.Stanford.EDU,
    "MSE Dept. Teaching Faculty (5/1/98)":  ;,
mmarin@forsythe.Stanford.EDU,
    orly.abta@forsythe.Stanford.EDU
Hello All,

The following message was forwarded to me in the Student Services Office
and, before passing it on as an alert, I contacted AT@T myself to check
it
out.  I was told the following by an AT@T business manager Dennis:

a)  By following the directions (as outlined in the message below) while
connected to an unidentified caller, you may well be giving access,
through
your telephone account, to the caller, allowing that person to make as
many
calls as they can to the 900 numbers.  As most of you know there are
charges for 900 numbers, and large bills can easily be run up, even in a
few hours.

b)  Unidentified callers have been perpetrating this scam all across the
country and it has become extremely difficult to track it's origination.

c)  You are asked to be very careful, not only in responding with
negative
politeness to such calls, but in keeping your code numbers very carefully
safe guarded.

Thanks
Philippa

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

FORWARDED MESSAGE FOLLOWS
_________________________

This was e-mailed to us so I thought I would pass it on. This information
was verified with AT&T.

I received a telephone call 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 we should touch nine 9), zero (0),
the
pound sign (#) and then hang up. Luckily, we were suspicious and refused.
Upon contacting the telephone company we were informed that by pushing
90#
you give the requesting individual full access to your telephone line,
which allows them to place a long distance telephone calls billed to your
home phone number.  We were further informed that this scam has been
originating from many ofthe local jails/prisons. I have also verified
this
information with UCB Telecomm.

Please beware.   This sounds like an Urban Legend - IT IS NOT!!!

I further called GTE Security this morning and verified that this is
definitely possible.  DO NOT press 90# for ANYONE. The GTE Security
department requested that I share this information with EVERYONE I
KNOW!!!

Could you PLEASE pass this on.  If you have mailing lists and/or
newsletters from organizations you are connected with, I encourage you
to pass on this information.


%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
%%p




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--------- End forwarded message ----------
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