Beware of scams that steal your money via your telephone bill

A colleague received an email from a recruitment agent (pasted below) that promises that she would "assist you with finding employment, or an income opportunity, that will suit you best." His initial thoughts were - "great" another person that could find him a good job. All he had to do was fax his updated CV etc. to the number and perhaps the right job will be just around the corner. Then he looked closer.... the email was very specific in the instructions on what to fax and emphasised that return email could not be used. Then, looking closer at the fax number, he realised that it was a premium call rate number: 0866 - which would attract a charge of R1.85 per minute!

{More details here: If you refer to the blog: "Don’t be fooled by this false advertising: "FREE fax to e-mail service"" you will see that these 0866 numbers are free to the person receiving the fax, but the sender pays R1.85 per page.}

That's the catch.... all the "recruitment agent" wanted was that you "forward your full detailed CV, together with all available supporting documents, such as reference letters and certificates, to our Fax no: 0866570156".

But where's the scam? How would they make money out of this?

Well, the instructions make sure that you fax all documents to this number - this ensures that the fax call is as long as possible. {I wouldn't be surprised if the fax fails a few times before finally accepting the fax! But, the scam is that the faxes are probably never looked at either!}

They make money (and you lose it) from the kick-back that they receive from Telkom for the premium rate call. So, for each call made a percentage is "earned" back from Telkom.

So, beware - don't react to this type of request where they try and entice you to dial premium numbers and so steal money via your (or your place of work's) telephone bill!

Here's the email:

From: Employment Specialists [mailto:@]
Sent: 22 July 2008 23:00
Subject: We want to assist you with finding employment, or an income opportunity, that will suit you best.

Hello Work hunter

We were recently informed that you are currectly job hunting.

I was appointed to assist you with finding employment, or an income opportunity, that will suit you best.

Please forward your full detailed CV, together with all available supporting documents, such as reference letters and certificates, to our Fax no: 0866570156

(Please do not email your CV & supporting documents, because most of the employers still prefer and insist on fax copies.)

On receipt of your CV and supporting documents we will evaluate your application, and pass your info on to employers that are currently in need of someone with your specific skills and expertise.

If you are chosen as one of the shortlist candidates, you will be contacted, in order to set-up an interview.

We now await your urgent response.

Yours faithfully,

Melani Lewis

The Employment Specialists

"Your career is our speciality"

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

The Employment Specialists Disclaimer & Confidentiality Note

This e-mail, its attachments and any rights attaching hereto are, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the property of The Employment Specialists. It is confidential, private and intended for the addressee only.

Should you not be the addressee and receive this e-mail by mistake, kindly notify the sender, and delete this e-mail, immediately and do not disclose or use same in any manner whatsoever.

Views and opinions expressed in this e-mail are those of the sender unless clearly stated as those of the company.

The Employment Specialists accepts no liability whatsoever for any loss or damages whatsoever and howsoever incurred, or suffered, resulting, or arising, from the use of this email or its attachments.

The Employment Specialists do not warrant the integrity of this e-mail nor that it is free of errors, viruses, interception or interference.

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Toll free not really toll free: I'm amazed by the number of people who don't know when a toll free number is not toll free?

Some people advertise their numbers as toll free….. But when is a toll free number actually not toll free?
Let's start with a definition: 'toll free' means that the caller pays nothing for the call. In South Africa, there are various types of toll free numbers depending on where you call from.

If you call from a Telkom land-line, then 0800 numbers are toll free. Calling these numbers from any cell phone is not free!

If you call from a Vodacom cell phone, then there's a list of toll free numbers e.g. 111, 121

If you call from an MTN or CellC cell phone, then there's a different list of toll free numbers e.g. 808 (for MTN) or 140 for CellC

So, it's simple really - dialling 0800 from a Telkom phone is toll free

Dialling 08anything other than 080 is not toll free.

086 numbers are not toll free.

086x is not toll free, and as the x increases, so does the call cost per minute i.e 0860 costs less than 0861 which costs less than 0862 which costs less than 0867

0865 calls are fax to email calls - here the caller pays over R2 per minute (it's free to the person receiving the fax though)

0860 is called a ShareCall number and the cost is shared by the caller (national cost) and the called (the remainder)

0861 is called a MaxiCall number and is paid by the caller at national rates (even if you're calling from the next door building!).

See here for more:
Hellkom: Hellkom 0860 research
And from Telkom: Telkom pricing