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Bell Canada
Press
"8" or "9" Travel Pitch - Calls Originating
from Area Code 305 and 214.
March 30, 2005 --
The Bell Canada Corporate Security department is aware of
and has investigated these telemarketing calls. While
they may be an annoyance to some called parties, they do not
appear to involve fraud or violate Canadian telemarketing
restrictions.
The calls, which
originate from U.S. destinations, appear to use an outbound
interactive voice response (IVR) system, which randomly dials
to several area codes, using automatic diallers. The
IVR directs interested callers to an operator or recorded
information source depending on which numbers they press on
their touch-tone handsets. When a called party dials
"9," as instructed by the recorded announcement,
the called party is provided the opportunity to speak with
a live voice telemarketer (to win a "free trip");
dialling 8 directs the called party to an application to have
themselves removed from the calling list.
Contrary to various rumours currently
in circulation, if a residential subscriber presses "9",
it will not provide the caller with access to the subscriber's
telephone line such that the caller may place long distance
calls on that subscriber's account.
Bell Canada has not received any confirmation
of any fraudulent activity directed at any of our customers
through these calls.
The telemarketer
in question usually initiates these calls from area code 305
(often from 1-305-675-6263), which covers southeast Florida,
including Miami. It appears that the same company is
also placing calls from area code 214 (often 214-279-0990),
which covers mid and northeast Texas, including parts of Dallas.
Bell Canada has been in touch with the US carriers serving
these numbers, and has been assured that these are genuine
telemarketing business calls.
The best way to
deal with this annoyance is to educate employees not to respond
to incoming calls from Area Code 305, 214 unless they are
familiar with the number. Users should terminate the
call as soon as they hear the recorded announcement.
Bell Canada is continuing
to monitor the situation.
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