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SCAM ALERT!!! - 7/13/2004 3:04:30 PM

anthrosub

Posts: 843
Joined: 6/2/2004
Status: offline

This is a very important message to all members of Collarme. A few days ago, i fell victim to a scam that's been gaining momentum in the past few months. It can show up as an invoice in the postal mail from a company called "National One Telecom" or on the phone bill under the name USBI.

The company is somehow sending out an invoice for sums as high as a couple hundred dollars. The bill will list your name and address, telephone number, the number called (always in the United Kingdom), the date and time, and the charge.

The invoice will not have a phone number to contact them but will list a post box to write and dispute the charge as well as a website. When you go to the website, it will ask you to download a plug-in in order to get access to the customer service page. DO NOT GO ANY FURTHER!

The plug-in is really a program that turns the sound off on your dial up modem (if you have one) and then calls out just before you turn off your computer. This is called modem hijacking.

Here is a link for more information about this scam:

http://forums.techguy.org/t224491.html

In my case, they claimed i made a call on June 24, 2004 using a phone number i had disconnected in September of last year! Another person received a similar bill and the number had not been in use for over 4 years!

i hope the Mods will make this a sticky post so all can see it. i'm sure many members are using a modem and could fall into this trap unwittingly.

anthrosub

_____________________________

"It is easier to fool people than it is to convince them they have been fooled." - Mark Twain

"I am not young enough to know everything." - Oscar Wilde

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RE: SCAM ALERT!!! - 7/14/2004 4:32:38 PM

anthrosub

Posts: 843
Joined: 6/2/2004
Status: offline

i just want to add that this scam appears to have started only a couple months ago and one of the boards i've been monitoring reports that ABC is currently investigating.

anthrosub

_____________________________

"It is easier to fool people than it is to convince them they have been fooled." - Mark Twain

"I am not young enough to know everything." - Oscar Wilde

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RE: SCAM ALERT!!! - 7/14/2004 4:58:43 PM

proudsub

Posts: 6142
Joined: 1/31/2004
From: Washington
Status: offline

Thanks for the warning. I guess there's no worry if we don't have dial-up though.

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proudsub

"Without goals you become what you were. With goals you become what you wish." .

"You are entitled to your own opinions but not your own facts"--Alan Greenspan

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RE: SCAM ALERT!!! - 7/14/2004 5:10:33 PM

anthrosub

Posts: 843
Joined: 6/2/2004
Status: offline

You would think so but i don't have dial up and i got a bill. This is a very malicious scam preying on the unwitting. i haven't seen anything like this since i learned of the scam the Bally Fitness gyms are pushing on people.

anthrosub

_____________________________

"It is easier to fool people than it is to convince them they have been fooled." - Mark Twain

"I am not young enough to know everything." - Oscar Wilde

(in reply to proudsub)

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