TELEPHONE SCAM Calls to some area codes don't ring true, AT & amp;T warns

The scam works because phone numbers in the Caribbean look like numbers in this country.
YOUNGSTOWN -- Beware of any message that asks you to call a phone number in the 809 area code, AT & amp;T advises.
The number appears to look like a regular domestic phone number but could be a call that incurs per-minute charges, similar to 900 numbers.
The 809 area code is in the Caribbean and is not governed by U.S. phone regulations, which require people be advised that they are being charged by the minute. Other Caribbean area codes that should arouse suspicion include 284 and 876, AT & amp;T says.
How it works: Victims of the scam receive messages on an answering machine, voice mail or pager that asks them to call a number. The message could include promise of a prize or information about a family member.
When a victim calls, they are kept on the line as long as possible, typically with a long recorded greeting.
Tom Hopkins, a company spokesman, said charges typically amount to a couple of dollars a minute. He said reports of charges that exceed $2,000 a minute are hoaxes that are passed along on the Internet.
What to do: AT & amp;T's Web site advises people to be careful with the Caribbean area codes because they don't require dialing 011 first, as other foreign locations do.
The company says callers should check a telephone directory or call the operator to determine where the area code is before making a call.
It also said a block of 900 calling services, which legitimately incur per-minute charges, will not stop calls to 809 area codes. Long-distance providers, however, can block international calls.