Be cautious when calling an unfamiliar telephone number — it could be a costly international telephone call. Consumers nationwide are being lured into calling international telephone numbers through advertisements and other promotions for interesting or important information. Ads may promise information and entertainment services ranging from psychic readings to chat lines to employment opportunities. You may be unaware that some of these numbers are actually costly international "pay-per-call" numbers, where a portion of your international long distance charge goes to pay for the information or entertainment you receive over the phone.
You could end up with a hefty phone bill if you call such an international telephone number. That's because each country sets its own telephone rates and there's no limit to the per-minute charge. The companies urging you to call have an incentive to keep you on the line as long as possible because they receive a portion of the international long distance charge. The more often you call —and the longer you stay on the line — the more they profit.
It's not always easy to tell if you're calling an international telephone number. In most cases, you have to dial "011" to begin your call to a foreign country. But there are locations outside the United States and Canada, many of them in the Caribbean, where you simply dial the area code and number to reach your party. And there are scam artists who have taken advantage of this confusion by promoting calls to "809" numbers in the Dominican Republic. While these telephone numbers may look like domestic long distance calls, international telephone rates apply.
These international telephone services are similar to "900" number services because you purchase information or entertainment over the telephone and pay for it simply by dialing the telephone number. Providers of both 900 number and international pay-per-call service make money based on the number and length of calls generated to the pay-per-call numbers. However, one very important difference is that the protections afforded by FTC's 900 Number Rule — clear disclosures about the cost of the call before those costs are incurred — do not apply to international pay-per-call numbers.
If you are deciding whether to call an international pay-per-call number, you should also know that:
Some international pay-per-call numbers are promoted in uniquely deceptive ways. You may receive "urgent" messages left on answering machines, pagers, or computer e-mail, trying to get you to call the international number. The messages tell you to call a long distance number for more information. In many cases, the return-call number is an international pay-per-call line, with a three digit exchange that looks like an American or Canadian area code. The message may falsely claim that a family member has been injured, that you’ve won a prize, or that there's a problem with your credit. If you return the call, you may be unwittingly putting money into the pockets of scam artists.
If you see an ad for an information or entertainment service, or receive an urgent message to return a call, follow these precautions:
The organizations listed here can provide additional information and help you with complaints.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.