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CONSUMER JUNGLE

JINGLE IN THE JUNGLE

Skill Building Activity

Slamming, Cramming, & Other Fraud

“Telephone Toll Fraud”

Don’t Be Its Next Victim

The telecommunications industry estimates that telephone toll fraud 

accounts for nearly $4 billion a year in crime. One of the best ways to avoid 

becoming a victim is to know the danger signs that point to toll fraud scams 

and the tricks used by con artists to prey on unsuspecting consumers. 

Tips for protecting your telephone calling card from fraudulent use:

ß Memorize your calling card number and Personal Identification 

Number (PIN). Do not write your PIN on your calling card.

ß Use a public telephone that reads your calling card number from the 

magnetic strip on the back of the card. If this type of telephone is not 

available, block the view of the key pad and speak directly into the 

phone so that no one sees you dial your calling card number or 

overhears you giving the number to the operator.

ß Don't use your telephone calling card as an identification card. Others 

may see or hear the number.
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ß Immediately report a lost or stolen calling card to the company that 

issued the card. Request the company to cancel your card number and 

issue a new one to you.

Don't Believe A Word Of It!

Consumers have told the FCC that they have received calls from persons 

claiming to be FCC agents or telephone company employees investigating calls 

placed to other states or countries from the consumer’s telephone line -- or 

are checking on possible technical problems with the consumer’s telephone 

line.

The caller typically requests the consumer’s cooperation in the investigation 

by just saying “yes” and hanging up the telephone receiver when a second call 

is placed to the consumer by a “supervisor.” Other tactics include 

requesting the consumer to provide their credit or calling card number or to 

dial a specific series of numbers before hanging up the telephone receiver.

These types of calls are made to trick consumers into providing information 

or taking actions that will enable the caller to place fraudulent calls using 

the consumer’s credit or calling card number or telephone line.

Telephone company employees checking for technical and other types of 

telephone service or billing problems and FCC personnel would not call and 

ask you to just say yes when receiving a telephone call, provide a credit card 

or calling card number, or dial a specific series of numbers before hanging up 

the telephone receiver.

Take the following steps if you think a call is a toll fraud attempt:

ß Be sure to ask the caller for their name and their telephone number.

ß Tell the caller you are going to call the telephone company to 

determine whether or not there is a problem with your telephone 

service.
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ß Immediately hang up.

ß Find the telephone number for your telephone company business and 

security offices on your telephone bill or from directory assistance or 

your telephone book. Call that number -- rather than the number 

provided by the caller -- and provide details of the call you received to 

the telephone company representative.

ß Contact law enforcement officials.

Safeguard Your Telephone Service

ß Don’t accept third-number billing or collect calls from callers you do 

not know.

ß Talk with your local telephone company about having your telephone 

line blocked from third-number and collect call billings.

Stay On Top of Telephone Toll Fraud

The Alliance to Outfox Phone Fraud, a group of telecommunications industry 

and related companies, provides fraud information to consumers. Visit the 

Alliance's Web site at http://www.gnat.net/outfox or contact the Alliance 

at: 2890 Fairview Park Drive, 10th Floor, Falls Church, Virginia 22042 -- or 

call 1-800-9-OUTFOX (1-800-968-7369).

Help for Victims of Toll Fraud

You can be responsible for as much as $50 in unapproved calling card 

charges under the Truth in Lending Act and Federal Reserve Board 

regulations. Call the telephone company that issued your calling card as soon 

as you become aware that you are a toll fraud victim and request the 

company to cancel your calling card number and issue a new one to you.
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Toll fraud complaints involving calls placed to another state or country are 

within the jurisdiction of the Department of Justice. You should contact the

Federal Bureau of Investigation at the following address if you are a victim 

of toll fraud involving calls placed to another state or country:

Federal Bureau of Investigation

7799 Leesburg Pike

South Tower, Suite 200

Falls Church, VA 22043

You should contact your state attorney general’s office if you are a victim of 

toll fraud involving calls placed within your state. You can obtain the 

telephone number and address for this office from your local or state 

consumer offices or the government section of your telephone directory.

Reprinted with permission from Federal Communications Commission, “Telephone 

Toll Fraud” June 1998 from URL 

http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Common_Carrier/Factsheets/ttf&you.pdf