Area codes 809, 284, 876

An old scam has re-emerged concerning area codes 809, 284, and 876 and telephone calls with a message like this: “Hey, this is Karen. Sorry I missed you – get back to us quickly. I have something important to tell you.” Then she repeated a phone number beginning with 809.

 

An e-mail warning making the rounds says that you could end up paying $2,425 per minute if you respond. Like so many pass-along messages, this is a mix of fact and fiction. Here’s how AT&T explains it:

“The e-mails contend that there has been fraud associated with unscrupulous pay-per-call operators in that area code. However, the message contains some misinformation, especially the highly exaggerated cost of a phone call to the 809 area code, which is a legitimate area code for the Dominican Republic. . . . Unfortunately, consumers don't find out that they have been charged higher international call rates until they receive their bill.

 

Bottom line: Don’t respond to those calls, but it’s not as big a deal as it may seem in the e-mail warnings.