It's a Hoax

[HatchetMan]

It’s a Hoax; Cell Phone Numbers Will Not Be Released on Jan. 1

Do not reply to any message indicating that cell phone numbers will be made public to telemarketing firms on Jan. 1. It’s a hoax. The e-mail message asks you to call a number from your cell phone or register your cell phone number through a “donotcall” Web site. This is not true. Please tell others.

[Capmaster]

It’s a Hoax; Cell Phone Numbers Will Not Be Released on Jan. 1

Do not reply to any message indicating that cell phone numbers will be made public to telemarketing firms on Jan. 1. It’s a hoax. The e-mail message asks you to call a number from your cell phone or register your cell phone number through a “donotcall” Web site. This is not true. Please tell others.

Thanks for the heads-up

[yoda313]

Hello,

I never read stuff that I don't recognize the header from.

Kevin

[pacmania_2001]

Oldest con in the book. Hook it up to a pay per minute number and watch the dollars come in.

More efficient that the original con because you don't have to bother ringing or messaging victims, just wait for them to ring you.

[pyrate83]

Shit, I already registered or so I thought. Got the email from my Dad who thought it was real and he got it from someone he knows I think.
Probably nothing to worry about though right?

[pacmania_2001]

If you still have the number you rang stored somewhere ring up the telephone company and ask if it is a pay per minute phone number.

[pyrate83]

It's through a website not a phone number. I even saved a copy of the registration complete page which has my number and the date that the registration expires.

[pacmania_2001]

Probably harvesting numbers and personal details then not trying to pull the pay per minute scam then.

Possibly including spyware or virus in the coding of the webpage.

[pyrate83]

https://www.donotcall.gov/Register/RegVer.aspx?phXFsFF0s4I%3d-ziXODkkF3%2fE%3d5720-200...26-233857-7920

Check the link.

[pyrate83]

No spyware, I just checked my computer the other day it was clean. Ad Aware and SpywareBlaster both running.

[adam]

My sister forwarded this to me. I thought it was pretty unbelievable off the bat. Here is the number they tell you to call....it doesn't seem like a pay-per-minute phone number to me...

1-888-382-1222

Sure would be mean to be collecting these numbers to sell to telemarketers, by tricking people into thinking they are removing their numbers from telemarketers, when the number was safe all along.

[adam]

Alright, this has been listed on urbanlegends now...
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_cell_phone_directory.htm

Its not a scam, just either a hoax or some rumor that got out of hand. The cell companies announced they would publish a national directory of numbers but they will only publish your cell number if you allow them to. The deadline date in the e-mail is completely made up. The number listed is the actual number for the do-not-call registery, and they do allow you to add your cell numbers, there's just really no point in doing it right now and there is definitely no hurry.

[pacmania_2001]

Too bad, someone should set up a scam with the pay per minute number, they'd rake it in.

[shoozleboy]

Yeah someone could use that scam to rake in the funding for say, a trip across America in a beaten down van???

[thecoalman]

https://www.donotcall.gov/Register/RegVer.aspx?phXFsFF0s4I%3d-ziXODkkF3%2fE%3d5720-200...26-233857-7920

Check the link.

That's legit.... it's a U.S government website....

Alright, this has been listed on urbanlegends now...
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_cell_phone_directory.htm

.

From that link.... :"The companies swear the numbers will never be available to telemarketers."

I don't see why that would make a difference, they just call numbers in order...

Too bad, someone should set up a scam with the pay per minute number, they'd rake it in.

I thought they were all scams to begin with.

I did hear of another scam, not sure if it was for real. Anyhow you get a number that's similar to a 800 number that's offshore. They charge some ridiculous rate and your forced to pay it since you dialed it, the phone company has no control over it. No idea if it's true.

[Conquest10]

That's the Nation Do Not Call Registry, pyrate. That's legit.

[adam]

From that link.... :"The companies swear the numbers will never be available to telemarketers."

I don't see why that would make a difference, they just call numbers in order...

I assume you mean they just randomly call numbers going in order. Maybe some do, but I'm sure most don't. Telemarketing is already a numbers game. You have to call so many just to get one sale, so its probably not worth it unless you can increase your accept to reject ratio. There are all kinds of lists which are broken down into demographics, (new home owner, uses the internet alot, male/female, etc, etc.) You have to pay quite a bit of money to get these lists depending on who you are dealing with. At the moment cell numbers are still pretty shielded from all this so telemarketing hasn't hit them yet. Before I added my home phone to the do not call list I got like 3 calls a day. Now I only get them from charities. I've never once gotten a soliciation call on my cell.

[pacmania_2001]

I did hear of another scam, not sure if it was for real. Anyhow you get a number that's similar to a 800 number that's offshore. They charge some ridiculous rate and your forced to pay it since you dialed it, the phone company has no control over it. No idea if it's true.

Thats the scam I'm talking about. If you set it up in the US you have to have a message telling the person ringing that they are getting charged X amount per minute plus a one minute or so grace period for them to hang up.

[pacmania_2001]

Yeah someone could use that scam to rake in the funding for say, a trip across America in a beaten down van???

Tempting. I can see myself doing it and then flying into LAX and the FBI is waiting for me.

[gll99]

I did hear of another scam, not sure if it was for real. Anyhow you get a number that's similar to a 800 number that's offshore. They charge some ridiculous rate and your forced to pay it since you dialed it, the phone company has no control over it. No idea if it's true.

Thats the scam I'm talking about. If you set it up in the US you have to have a message telling the person ringing that they are getting charged X amount per minute plus a one minute or so grace period for them to hang up.

5 or so years ago I bought a 5 in 1 remote that had a 1-800 number to call for help with setting up the remote. There was an invitation to call the number on every page of the booklet and even said that if you could not find a matching code they would give you the "secret unlock code to make the remote work with any model of tv, vcr,audio, etc.... You just had to call the 1-800 number. I thought wow what a helpful company!
Anyway I had some problems with a device and decided to call. I was put on hold a while and transferred through a loop of menu options to various depts. Finally after about 10 minutes of bouncing I was informed of a charge for the call. I thought something went screwy so called again to complain and started the loop over. This time I quit early cause the menus produced the same result no matter what dept I chose. I then called Bell Canada and gave them the 1-800 number and explained what happened. I said I did not believe that a charge could be added to a 1-800 number series and they said it shouldn't but there were cases where the numbers were being redirected to a series of 1-900 numbers and /or to independent switch networks that billed all numbers. She said she would take care of the charges and she did but told me not to call the number because there was a legal case against the owner of that number but she had no authority to block the 1-800 number. She said that is all she could say on the matter.
I never got billed but wonder how many others got that number through products,ads etc... and had to pay long distance and usage fees for calling what they thought was a free number. I don't know if that path has been blocked now but it sure made me cautious about using these 1-800 numbers except for welll known reputable companies.

[thecoalman]

I did hear of another scam, not sure if it was for real. Anyhow you get a number that's similar to a 800 number that's offshore. They charge some ridiculous rate and your forced to pay it since you dialed it, the phone company has no control over it. No idea if it's true.

Thats the scam I'm talking about. If you set it up in the US you have to have a message telling the person ringing that they are getting charged X amount per minute plus a one minute or so grace period for them to hang up.

found it: http://www.scambusters.org/809Scam.html

The "809" scam has many permutations but they all involve a message to you (either by email, phone or pager) that you immediately call or fax a number in the "809" area code or some other area code in the Caribbean. Examples of why you should call or fax the phone number include avoiding litigation, receiving information about someone who has been arrested or died, winning a wonderful prize, or getting a job.

The "809" area code is in the Caribbean, yet most people are not aware that they are making an international call when they dial the "809" area code, since you simply dial 1-809-xxx-xxxx to make the call. No international codes are required.

The problem comes from the fact that some phone numbers in the "809" area code are "pay-per-call" numbers (such as 900 numbers in the US) - but there are no legal requirements that callers be informed that they are being charged extra in the Caribbean. When you return one of these "pay-per-call" 809 calls, the scamsters try to keep you on the phone as long as possible, and you may be charged very high rates for the call, reportedly up to $25 per minute.

[JohnnyCNote]

Some guy was handing out copies of the e-mail at work. I suspected it was bogus and confirmed it online....

[ViRaL1]

Reminds me of one episode of FRIENDS where Phoebe was on hold for over a day with a company (in Utah I think) with an 801 area code, thinking it was toll-free. I will have to say, I blame that one on both the legislators and the phone companies for not notifying people and / or needing to dial a country code.

[lordsmurf]

It's been rumored that adding your cell number to the DO NOT CALL list may actually GET YOU more calls if you've not gotten any before.

The EXCLUDED groups, or so the rumor goes, can access the DNC too. But instead of NOT calling, they use it FOR CALLING.