Someone keeps calling from PRISON! - Page 2 - Big Big Forums

***buttrfli*** · 07-17-2005, 11:28 AM

Here are a couple of things I found:

Long Distance Phone Scam
The Scam:
You could unwittingly become part of an expensive long distance phone scam known as "Jailhouse Jingles" if you dial *72, 72#, or 90# at the request of someone who calls you pretending to be a phone worker, police officer, emergency room personnel, or who appeals to your sympathy because they're having trouble reaching someone.

How This Scam Works:

These number sequences activate call forwarding, transferring control of your phone to the person on the other end, and allowing the scam artist to continue to make long distance phone calls on your account after you hang up. Since all calls from jails and prisons are collect, the charges that appear on your next phone bill could total hundreds of dollars or more.

This scam is often called Jailhouse Jingles because the calls are usually made by prison inmates in lower-security facilities with access to pay phones. The inmate first calls an outside accomplice, who then initiates a three-way call to you, thereby preventing you from hearing the recording that precedes calls from correctional facilities, stating that the call is coming from a convict at a particular prison.

How This Scam Costs You Money:

When you receive your phone bill, it may contain charges for 900 "sex line" numbers or other calls at nearly $1 per minute.

How To Avoid Being a Victim of This Scam: It's easy to avoid being a victim of this scam. Never dial *72 or any other call-forwarding number at the request of a stranger. If for some reason you do dial the call-forwarding sequence, deactivate it by dialing *73 (on Verizon accounts).

How To Report This Scam:

Help fight telephone fraud. Report telephone scam artists to the Federal Trade Commission at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) and to your state Attorney General.

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I've investigated this one before... it's a scam and it's been going on for quite awhile... had you accepted the call this is the scenario that would've transpired...

...the inmate likely would have spun some b.s. that ended with a plea for you to dial a "special" phone number for the inmate that begins with *72; dialing *72 activates call-forwarding (to those who have this service) and directs all incoming calls to the last part of that special number, 555-2241 for example. Whoever answers there can then accept collect calls and bill the charges back to you the victim. Typically after investigation these charges will be considered to be fraudulent and you won't be responsible for them but... I don't know how often that happens... and well if you did accept the call... I'm not so certain it's 100% a guarantee you'll get your money back as somebody has to pay these things. The only thing you can do is to remove your call waiting or just hang up. DNC won't help you there in that situation...

***Willow*** · 07-17-2005, 11:35 AM

I think the person trying to call you has the wrong number and doesn't realize it. I would probably answer the call even it if costs $4.70 just so I could tell whoever it was that they have the wrong number then they will stop calling you. I wouldn't worry about him getting to you because obviously he's already behind bars. lol I have the option to block numbers that call my line. I don't know if everyone can do it or if you have to have a special service on your line to do it. I have a package deal so maybe it's included in that.

ladyseals · 07-17-2005, 12:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buttrfli

It may just be me thinking wrong, but isn't/wan't there a scam going around about getting phone calls from prisons where if you accept the call the prisoners somehow find a way to use your number to put reverse charges on it.... something like that.

It may be a urban legend, or.. i dunno. I don't remember the exact way it went.. I'll have to look around and see what I can find.

Either way I wouldn't accept it lol

I was told by the phone company that prisonors really can scam people in this way by charging their phone calls to my number. If I put collect call block, it would block ALL collect calls. I am just not sure I want to block All collect calls in the event someone I know really does need to call me collect.

Urban Cowgirl · 07-17-2005, 03:36 PM

This was happening to us for a couple of weeks and I kept hanging up. Finally I listened to the whole recording and at the end it gives the option of blocking collect calls from the jail if you hit a certain number. Listen to the recording it should give you an option like that.

Tasha405 · 07-17-2005, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patchouli

I think the person trying to call you has the wrong number and doesn't realize it. I would probably answer the call even it if costs $4.70 just so I could tell whoever it was that they have the wrong number then they will stop calling you. I wouldn't worry about him getting to you because obviously he's already behind bars. lol

Thats what I would do too. It could be someone that your or your DH know but haven't seen or talked to in a while and they need you to get ahold of someone for them or something like that. It could be so many different things. I think I would accept it, ask who they are and if you don't know them, simply tell them that they have the wrong number.