809 area code calls: rip-off?

Factual Questions
1

I received a warning today advising me to never respond to mesages that appear on my pager or answering machine if they are asking me to call back to a number with an 809 area code*.

The claim is that by doing so I will be billed for the call, similar to what happens if I call to a 900 area code. The big difference, though, is that the minute rate for these 809 calls can be in the hundreds of dollars.

Is this an urban legend? Sounds like a hoax to me, but you never know.

[sub]*This is the area code for the British Virgin Islands where, apparently, such scams are not illegal.[/sub]

2

I really don’t know myself, but Snopes seems to think it’s true. Here’s their opinion.

Jim

3

OK. It is a scam, but very old. See, for example, this site. Probably not much to worry about.

4

about.com, too. Here’s their page on the matter.

5

It’s actually a UL that’s true. You won’t get charged at $100’s a minute, just the usual international rate.

Here’s the snopes dope on it.