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12/23/2009

Lexington, KY - With today's technology, con artists can target you from all over the globe…and you might lose money just by calling them on the phone if you're not careful.

Imagine this: You receive a message on your voice mail or a letter urging you to contact the sender. They may be telling you that you've won some big prize, or some other reason you need to call. Before you let the urgency of the message cause you to return that call….do you know WHERE you are calling?

Your Better Business Bureau has received reports from consumers who got such messages, and were later surprised with a BIG long distance bill. Why?

In some cases, it turns out the call came from the 876 area code – that's in Jamaica. Folks thought they were calling inside the U.S. but really called the Caribbean.

So, a word to the wise….before returning a call to an unfamiliar party or phone number, do some checking. Here are a few other area codes from which many scams originate that you should know about.

Some scam calls have come from the 809 area code….that's the Dominican Republic, also in the Caribbean.

Let's take a look northward…many phone scams come out of Canada. A common area code consumers report getting scam calls from is 416, which is the Toronto, Ontario area.

In the far western Canada, another common area code consumers have been told to call is 778, in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Also if you fall for a scam from outside the U.S., your chances of recourse aren't so great. You should check online or with directory assistance for an unfamiliar area code's origin before calling it back so you don't fall for it!

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Be a "Don’t Fall for It!" informant! If you have something to share you believe may be a fraudulent offer or scam, please let the BBB know! Call us at (859) 259-1008 or toll-free, 1-800-866-6668, or email us at info@lexbbb.com.