Post #2027477
2025-09-17 20:26 UTC
@kitten_tech @401matthall I don’t know if us Brits had a different term but I do know as a student my next door neighbour’s son was a police investigator who worked on phone crimes (phreaking and scams) in the 80s - the new premium numbers in the late 80s meant lots of people worked out loopholes to make money - he talked about a bunch of scams which my now significantly older brain has lost to time, sadly.
Replies (1)
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@kitten_tech@fosstodon.org 2025-09-17 21:00
@leymoo @401matthall I remember hearing that the US version of the lines where the recipient gets paid by the minute let the line owner set the rate, so somebody set it to the maximum the form allowed ($9999.99 a minute or similar), went to random offices with a package for Mr Madeupname, then when they said there wasn't anyone by that name here, asked if they could ring their office - and rang their premium rate number. Apparently it was hard to prosecute aa they'd asked permission...