Phone hacking scam, or someone trying to call me collect from a prison?

This week, I have received half a dozen phone messages on my answering machine. They feature a recorded voice telling me that the call is coming from “a federal correctional institution”. The voice goes on to say that the cost is $2.85 for the first minute, 30 cents for each additional minute. And that if I wish to decline the call, I should hang up; if I wish to to accept, I should press"1" now. The message ends immediately after this. (I have never been at home when any of the calls came).

A colleague of mine said he had heard about a hacking scam whereby prisoners “phreak” someone’s phone and make long-distance calls from it remotely.

Has anyone heard of such an attack? I’m an engineer with a telecomms degree, so I’m familiar with the general concept of phreaking. I am just interested in knowing if this specific MO has been seen recently.

Alternatively, it might be someone trying to contact me from a federal prison. If so, I have no interest in responding.

I plan to check the next phone bill for any fake charges. Any additional advice is appreciated.

Could it be the “*72 Prison Scam”, described on this page?

That sounds quite likely what it is.

According to your cite, the attack requires the target (me) to accept the charges and activate call forwarding. So as long as I don’t, I’m OK.

The fact that the acceptance was automated (pressing “1”) made me curious whether someone had figured out new some attack in which they manipulated that command.

It sounds like they would have to still have to get the responses “1” and “*72” from my end of the line, and I presume that security measures are in place against that.

Still, I will call my provider if I see any fake charges, or if my phone stops ringing.

Thanks for the info.

We have an incarcerated friend whom we sometimes accept calls from. Somewhere in the recording asking you to accept the charges, there should be something like “to block future calls from this number press (some key or other)”

Follow the instructions to block and that should take care of it.