| Fifteen-year-old Whitney Lott thought she was | | | | you "accidentally). |
| "helping someone out" when she agreed to forward | | | | - Someone calling and pretending to be a |
| a call for a stranger on the phone. The stranger, | | | | phone-company technician who needs to check your |
| according to a CBS News report, turned out to be an | | | | phone line for a problem. In order to receive "remote |
| inmate from Dallas County Jail. He told the girl that he | | | | access," they ask the victim to input a code of *72 |
| had called her accidentally and, since he only got one | | | | or 72#. |
| phone call, asked if she could forward the call to his | | | | - A person calling and impersonating a police officer, |
| mother -- by dialing *72. | | | | telling the victim that a close friend has been injured |
| The innocent move ended up costing Lott's parents | | | | in an auto accident. In order to find out more |
| $160, but it could have cost them hundreds, or even | | | | information, the con artist says, the victim must call |
| thousands, more. | | | | another officer by pressing *72 followed by another |
| Pressing *72 or 72# activates a call forwarding | | | | phone number. |
| feature on phones. Every call made to your number | | | | - A person calling from a payphone and saying they |
| from then on will be forwarded to a pay phone or | | | | don't have the additional change needed to make an |
| other involved third party. However, you are | | | | emergency call, then asking you to forward their call. |
| responsible for the charges incurred because the calls | | | | - "Usually, these con artists are not targeting specific |
| are being forwarded from your number. | | | | people; they're just hoping to find a sympathetic |
| This scam has been going on around the country and | | | | ear," said Arkansas Attorney General Mike Beebe, |
| involves not only inmates but also everyday con | | | | who has issued a consumer alert in his state to warn |
| artists. According to the CBS News report, "The | | | | the public about this increasingly common scam. |
| problem is rampant. In Florida, at least two inmates | | | | "However, if they can trick you into forwarding your |
| racked up more than $50,000 worth of collect calls | | | | phone to another number, they can repeatedly make |
| to more than a hundred families." | | | | calls that will be charged to your phone," he said. |
| How the *72 Scam Works | | | | What to Do if You Think You've Been Scammed |
| As described by AT&T, the *72 scam works | | | | First and foremost, if anyone calls you asking you to |
| like this: | | | | input a strange code into your phone, simply hang up. |
| "Star-7-2 is a custom feature for call forwarding. | | | | Be sure to let your children know to do this as well. |
| When the customer dials *72 followed by a | | | | In the call-forwarding scam, the code can be in the |
| telephone number, it activates the call forwarding | | | | following formats: |
| feature causing all your incoming calls to ring at | | | | - *72 |
| another number. | | | | - 72# |
| At the end of the other line -- whether calls have | | | | - 90# (for certain small business phone systems) |
| been forwarded to a landline, a cell phone or a | | | | However, be wary of any code that a stranger asks |
| payphone -- the original caller's partner-in-crime is able | | | | you to input. One of the clever aspects of this scam |
| to accept all collect and third-party calls, while telling | | | | is that the victim does not know it has happened |
| your own legitimate callers that they have the wrong | | | | until it is too late and the charges appear on their |
| number. You get billed for all calls made because your | | | | phone bill. |
| number is the one from which they are forwarded." | | | | If you think you may have fallen victim to the |
| Scammers use the following scenarios most often as | | | | call-forwarding scam, pressing *73 or 73# (depending |
| they try to play to the sympathies of their victim: | | | | on your service provider) will turn off the |
| - An inmate calling and saying he or she needs you to | | | | call-forwarding feature. You may also want to alert |
| call their mother for them (they called you | | | | your local law enforcement agency of the scam. |
| "accidentally" and say they can't make another call). | | | | Further, says Beebe, "Keep a close eye on your |
| - An inmate calling and saying he was arrested for a | | | | phone bill, and contact your phone-service provider if |
| minor traffic ticket and needs to call a relative to pick | | | | you think there are calls on your account that you |
| up his children from the police station (again, calling | | | | did not place. |