Important information from AT&T resources:  
 THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION PROVIDED TO US BY  AT&T. DON'T EVER DIAL  
AREA CODE  809  
MAJOR SCAM:  
Don't respond to Emails, phone calls, or web pages which  tell you to call  
an "809" Phone  Number. This is a very important issue of Scam Busters  
because it alerts you to a scam that is  spreading *extremely* quickly can  
easily cost you $24100 or more, and is difficult to avoid unless you are  
aware of it. We'd like to thank  Verizon for bringing this scam  to our  
attention. This scam has also been identified by the National Fraud  
Information Center and is costing  victims a lot of money. There are lots of  
different permutations of this scam.  
HERE'S HOW IT WORKS:  
You will receive a message on your answering  machine or your pager, which  
asks you to call a number beginning with area code 809. The reason you're  
asked to call varies. It can be  to receive information about a family  
member who has been ill, to tell you someone has been  arrested, died, to  
let you know  you have won a wonderful prize, etc. In each case, you are  
told to call the 809 number right away. Since there  are so many new area  
codes  these days, people unknowingly return these calls. If you call from  
the US, you will apparently be charged  $2425 per-minute. Or, you'll  get a  
long recorded message. The point is, they will try to keep you on the phone  
as long as possible  to increase the charges. Unfortunately, when you get  
your phone bill, you'll often be  charged more than  $24100.00.  
   
WHY IT  WORKS:  
   
The 809 area  code is located in the British Virgin Islands (The Bahamas).  
The 809 area code can be used as a "pay-per-call"  number, similar to 900  
numbers  in the US. Since 809 is not in the US, it is not covered by U.S.  
regulations of 900 numbers, which require  that you be notified and warned  
of charges and rates involved when you call a pay-per-call" number. There is  
also no  requirement that the company provide a time period during which you  
may terminate the call  without being charged. Further,  whereas many U.S.  
homes that have 900 number blocking to avoid these kinds of charges, do not  
work in  preventing calls to the 809  area code. We recommend that no matter  
how you get the message, if you are asked to call a number with  an 809 area  
code that you don't  recognize just disregard the message. Be wary of email  
or calls asking you to call an 809 area code number.  It's important to  
prevent becoming a victim of this scam, since trying to fight the charges  
afterwards can become A real  nightmare. That's because you did actually  
make the call. If you complain, both your local phone  company and your long  
distance  carrier will not want to get involved and will most likely tell  
you that they are simply  providing the billing for the foreign company.  
You'll end up dealing with a foreign company that argues they have done  
nothing  wrong.  
   
Please forward  this entire message to your friends, family and colleagues  
to help them  become aware of this  scam.  
Additional information can be obtained  from