Hoax Email Warning From Corrine

Corrine dug up a hoax that is currently circulating via email.

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There are some emails currently making the rounds which contain a warning about a telephone service rip-off. They warn you that a caller will either identify himself or herself as a phone company representative wanting to test the line, or a sweepstakes spokesperson wishing to inform you about a prize you’ve won.

They allegedly will ask you to push certain keys on your phone (#-9-0, #-0-9 or 9-0-# depending on which one you read) saying it is necessary to test the line or to collect the prize. Their claim is that by doing so, you have given the caller access to your long distance service and could cost you thousands of dollars.

Even though this IS technically possible, it CANNOT happen to a residential phone or a cell phone, unless you have one of the old business, commercial or institutional PBX phone systems in your house. Those are the kind where you have to dial 9 to get an outside line, like hospitals and hotels have. This scam only works on those types of phone systems.

I know of five different versions of this hoax email. Most of them claim this works on cell phones (it does not).

To get a look at these emails and to read the truth about this hoax, see Snopes.