UCAN

UCAN and its sister organization Privacy Rights Clearinghouse learned of a phone number scam that is particularly vicious because in one case the phone number USED TO BE the fraud dept. number for Experian. In the other case, a La Jolla, CA victim who was desperately trying to call the 800# listed by IDT to opt-out of information sharing, ended up with the same message and ended up being referred to the exact same number where "International Rates" would apply.

Until UCAN posted the number as (800) 301-7195, it was a working 800 # bought up along with a huge list of 800#s no longer used by legitimate companies. UCAN tried the 800-301-7195 on June 8, 2007 and it was no longer in service. Whoever Marina Telecom and its related third-party billing companies are in the U.S., are now monitoring the UCAN website and probably other complaint sites on the Net. We called the 876-5711 from our office phone to see if we would get any useful information or to see if someone would answer. There were long pauses, recorded requests to check toll-free 800#s, 866#s, 877#s and 888#s. The bottom line is that each time we followed the prompts, we got no information other than we were being charged International rates. The suggestion is to NOT DIAL THE 10-15-15 OR THE 876 JAMAICA INTERNATIONAL NUMBER.

An individual called our hotline and reported this to me today. She had been given that number so she could place a fraud alert. She called it (and I've done the same to verify her story) and was referred to another number to call. She got a message that says:

Either the 800 numbers were discontinued and remained as references on other websites or the numbers were hacked into by a foreign company. UCAN could find no reference to a search for Marina Telecom. "The number you have dialed has a new number assistance service. For more information ... dial 1-876-536-5711. ... International rates apply.... Brought to you by Marina Telecom."

The key words in that message are "International rates apply." But it's easy to not hear that warning.

When one individual dialed the 876 number, she later found that a fee of $7.14 was applied to her phone bill. Turns out that the area code 876 is a Jamaica area code. A google search on area code 876 turns up many warnings about this area code being associated with scams. It's easy to hear the area code 876 and think that it's one of the toll-free area codes.

It's instructive to do a google search on the full number (800) 301-7195. It shows that dozens of legitimate web sites, including the ITRC provide that number as the fraud department of Experian. If people call that number and listen to the recorded message, they are likely to then call the 876 number and be charged the international rate of $7+.

Further, when we made multiple calls to the (800) 301-7195 number, sometimes we were directed to dial 10-15-15-800 instead of the (876) 536-5711 number.

Let us hear from you about this scam below!

According to a news story from MEDIANEWS, the CPUC is failing to collect court-ruled fines against phone companies. The result is a slap in the face to all California consumers. It's no wonder that telecom company penalties/fines are not collected by the California Public Utilities Commission when you consider that most of the staff is kept busy finding ways to support "market competition" has reduced the need for regulations. If staff is busy conducting bill clinics, workshops, posting consumer information on its website and creating task forces to research problems, who is left to take complaints and collect fines?

Read more.

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