Phone Scam - True or False? 1

[nsanto17]

A friend sent me this e-mail today to warn me and anyone else of yet another phone scam. Beware.

I received a telephone call from an individual identifying himself as an AT&T Service Technician that was running a test on our telephone lines. He stated that to complete the test I should touch nine (9), zero (0), pound sign(#) and hang up. Luckily, I was suspicious and refused.

Upon contacting the telephone company we were informed that by pushing 90# you end up giving the individual that called you access to your telephone line and allows them to place a long distance telephone call, with the charge appearing on your telephone bill. We were further informed that this scam has been originating from many of the local jails/prisons.

Could this be possiable????

 

[biv343]

Anythings possible. But, just pressing 9,0 # without pressing transfer or conference first will do nothing short of send an annyoing DTMF tone to the callers ear.

I've heard this, and received this email, many times. I've often wondered how pressing 90# on a non-centrex POTS line would do anything at all.

 

[Crowtalks]

If you check this on Snopes.com, you will find that there was a modicum of truth to this. The procedure is designed to test cell phones (or was).

 

[TLDuk]

some systems allow you to dial ahead during a conversation, soon as you hang up the caller is connected to the number you dialled without the need for a transfer button and holding the call..

 

[hawks]

It is a scam and been around since as far back as I can remember. Like TLDuk said in the bigger systems you don't need to hit Transfer or Conf to send the call from a console.

 

[hawks]

Just to add, it still works though because most Attendants are not aware of it. I try to let my customers know but as fast as they change Attdendants no way to keep up.

 

[nsantin]

This sparked my interest so I tried it on our BCM200 3.6 with Analog trunks. I called my extension from a landline not on the BCM, I answered, dialed 90# (heard the DTMF tones) then hung up. My landline call got disconected.

So, it doesn't appear to work over analog lines. Perhaps over PRI Lines.

 

[hawks]

On the smaller system try it with Transfer 90# and see what happens. Assuming 9 is your access to the outside whorld.

 

[nsanto17]

I just tried it and to my dismay it does work.

I am going to send a memo out to all of my clients.

 

[RYLSFAN]

I have a 400 3.7 w/T1 without PRI and i was disco'd... fyi

we are getting PRI next week, i will try it again then..

Thats not my fastball, thats my hurry up and get by you pitch... Satchel Paige

 

[nsanto17]

Thats funny b/c we have the same setup and I am able to transfer the calls. There must be a setting in the BCM somewhere which enables you to deny outbound transfers.

Does anyone know of such a setting? I know i am cross posting.. So please don't yell at me. :-(

 

[RYLSFAN]

I tried from my cell and from my switch, the call disco'd each time..


Thats not my fastball, thats my hurry up and get by you pitch... Satchel Paige

 

[nsanto17]

You may have a setting turned on that would disable outbound transfers. Can you transfer calls to the outside world?

 

[RYLSFAN]

allow redirect? is a set by set feature. I tried it with both no and yes, each time i get disco'd. could this be a LEC feature??

Thats not my fastball, thats my hurry up and get by you pitch... Satchel Paige

 

[nsanto17]

I am not sure but i did try both with the redirect set to Y and N and it worked both times. I need to contact my vendor about this. This is a huge security hole.

 

[biv343]

You could modify filter 2 (sets) and 3 (trunks) to restrict digit 0, then build a COS override if there is a need to dial international.

 

[nsanto17]

We have international calls block by our provider but i will restrict digit 0 and only allow it for the principals of the company.

That should work.

Thanks

 

[nsanto17]

Thanks Biv you get a Star

 

[biv343]

Thanks. Sometimes simple is best.
I always thought redirect needed to be enabled to transfer calls off site, since it's needed to be able to forward off site. I tried it on my lab system and it did indeed go with either redirect on or off. I don't have a PRI in the lab system to test in that scenario.

 

[hawks]

You need to restrict 1010 dialing also because if not they can bypass the 0 and use any carrier that they want to.