Response to warning of a scam

James Kruse fnjjk1 at uaf.edu
Mon Aug 20 13:09:44 EDT 2001


All,

Only users of certain types of telephone switching equipment (PBXs to be
exact) are vulnerable to this scam. Furthermore, only users of improperly
configured PBXs are vulnerable. The vast majority of telephones, including
residential telephones, are not affected by this scam.

I strongly recommend list members refrain from these types of postings.

James J. Kruse, Ph.D.
Curator of Entomology
University of Alaska Museum
907 Yukon Drive
Fairbanks, AK, USA 99775-6960
tel 907.474.5579
fax 907.474.1987
http://www.uaf.edu/museum/ento



on 8/17/01 8:41 PM, Stephen Parshall at araneus9 at hotmail.com wrote:


> > Subject: Fw: Fw: warning of a scam
> > 
> > > > Subject: Please disseminate as you deem appropriate
> > > > 
> > > > This was forwarded to me FYI ...PLEASE PASS ON TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW
> > > > I received a telephone call last evening from an individual
> > > > identifying himself as an AT&T Service technician who was conducting
> > > > a test on telephone lines. He stated that to complete the test I
> > > > should touch nine(9),zero(0), the pound sign (#), and then hang up.
> > > > 
> > > > Luckily, I was suspicious and refused. Upon contacting the telephone
> > > > company, I was informed that by pushing 90#, you give the requesting
> > > > individual full access to your telephone line, which enables them to
> > > > place long distance calls billed to your home phone number. I was
> > > > further informed that this scam has been originating from many local
> > > > jails/prisons.
> > > > 
> > > > I have also verified this information with UCB Telecom, Pacific
> > > > Bell, MCI, Bell Atlantic and GTE. Please beware. DO NOT press 90#
> > > > for ANYONE. The GTE Security Department requested that I share this
> > > > information with EVERYONE I KNOW.
> > > > 
> > > > PLEASE pass this on to everyone YOU know. If you have mailing lists
> > > > and/or newsletters from organizations you are connected with, I
> > > > encourage you to pass on his information to them, too.
> > > > After checking with Verizon they said it was true, so do not
> > > > dial 90# and hang up, for anyone.
> > > > 
> > > > I called 1 800 257 2969 Security at Verizon
> > > > 1 800 483 1000 Repairs " "
> > > > and receive a firm probably it is true.
> > > > 
> > > > This warning came out a couple of years ago, I thought
> > > > they had fixed it by now.
> > > > 
> > > > ========================================== 

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