Last week saw warnings issued from AT&T Co and US West Inc about fraudulent practices designed to part users of telephone pagers from their money. According to Newsbytes, the racketeers use computers to dial telephone pager numbers and leave a message requesting the owner to call a number on Nynex’s 212-540 exchange. This exchange is a local version of the US ‘900’ services which handles premium services in a similar way to that operated in the UK on the 0898 exchange. The fraudster sets up a 540 number tariffed at $50 and starts dialling pager numbers when the victim returns the call it is to get a recording saying this number is no longer in service and a month later the charge is added to his or her phone bill. US West says it has reports from two large businesses in downtown Seattle that they had been caught in this way. US West is urging customers to watch out for calls from unfamiliar area codes, while police look out.
