Warning from the Police 11 May 2005. We have been advised of a telephone fraud currently in operation - this applies to home and work telephones, landlines and mobiles.
If you receive one of these calls, upon answering the telephone you will hear a recorded message congratulating you on winning an all expenses trip to an exotic location. You will then be asked to press 9 to hear further details. If you press 9 you will be connected to a premium rate number that costs approximately £20 per minute. Even is you disconnect immediately, it will remain connected for a minimum of 5 minutes costing around £100.
The final part of the call involves you being asked to key in your postcode and house number, which has other serious consequences. After further 2 minutes you will receive a message informing you that you are not a winner. This will also cost £100.
Since the calls are originating from outside the UK, BT and other telephone companies are left relatively powerless to act.The only safe thing to do is HANG UP before the message prompts you to dial 9, even safer HANG UP on any unsolicited 'free offer calls'.
There is another scam operating on mobile phones as well. A missed call comes up. The number is 0709 020 3840 the last four numbers may vary, but certainly the first four will remain the same. If you call this number back you will be charged £50 per minute.
People have complained about their phone bills, once they have realised the cost of the call, but apparently this is completely legal.
So beware, do not call back numbers beginning with 0709.
PLEASE PASS THIS INFORMATION ON TO AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE.
