Rep reports telephone, e-mail scams

HARRISBURG -- State Rep. Frank LaGrotta of Ellwood City, D-10th, is warning residents about a new round of telephone frauds being reported in the area.
The "nine + zero" scam targets mostly businesses and government offices that dial nine to reach an outside line.
Under the fraud, a caller claiming to represent the telephone company will ask the person to help him test the line by placing a three-way call to an outside line. He then will ask the victim to hang up, enabling the con artist to place long-distance calls over business lines.
Another fraud involves people who claim to represent the telephone company and tell the victim he or she has overpaid for their phone service. They then ask for personal information.
After the call, the con artist will use that information to order a calling card in that person's name and charge long-distance calls to the card.
Also, e-mail asking people to dial an 809 area code to check on a sick or missing relative or to claim a prize are also scams, LaGrotta said. The 809 area code is in the Caribbean and acts in a similar manner to a 900 number, he said.