Is this true.Does anyone know?

ubdai · 31 May 2005 at 10:31AM

Had the following emailed to me.

Subject: FOR INFO - Police Warning - Telephone Fraud
> Police Warning Please Read
> We have been advised of a telephone fraud currently in operation -this
> applies to home and work telephones, landlines and mobiles.
> If you receive one of these calls, upon answering the telephones you
> will hear a recorded message congratulating you on winning an all
> expenses trip to an exotic location. You will then be asked to press
> 9 to hear further details.
> If you press 9 you will be connected to a premium rate line that costs
> approximately £20 per minute. Even if you disconnect immediately, it
> will remain connected for a minimum of 5 minutes costing around £100.
> The final part of the call involves you being asked to key in your
> postcode and house number which has other serious consequences.
> After a further 2 minutes you will receive a message informing you
> that you are not one of the lucky winners. The total bill by then
> will be £100.
> Since the calls are originating from outside the UK, BT and other
> telephone companies are left relatively powerless to act. The only
> safe solution is to HANG UP before the message prompts you to dial 9,
> even safer HANG UP on any unsolicited 'free offer calls'.
> There is another scam operating on mobile phones as well. A missed
> call comes up, the number is 0709 020 3840, the last four numbers may
> vary, but certainly the first four will remain the same. If you call
> this number back you will be charged £50 per minute.
> People have complained about their phone bills, once they have
> realised the cost of the call, but apparently this is completely
> legal.
> So beware, do not call back numbers beginning with '0709'.
> PLEASE PASS THIS INFORMATION ONTO YOUR FAMILY & FRIENDS.