Jamaican calls harassing phone customers, asking them to call 876 area code

CLEVELAND - When Mike Wagner played his voicemail for NewsChannel5, he played a message from a man with a thick accent. Other than the accent, it was a typical call with a typical request to call back.

If Mike Wagner redialed the "876" area code to see what the caller wanted, he'd get an international charges on his phone bill.

Caller ID saved Wagner money.

"I see it's 876 so I know it's a Jamaica call," Wagner explained.

"Jamaica" appeared on two viewers' phones as they got calls from an area code the FCC said is associated with scams.

Wagner began taking notes as he got one Jamaican call after another. The amount of the offer varies, but Wagner’s role never changes.

“They wanted upfront money before they send me a check," Wagner said.

Wagner knows you don't have to pay money to get money, and didn't give the caller his bank account number. Wagner worries someone else may fall for it.

"The outlandish offer is a red flag for me," Wagner said.

The Jamaican caller's offer was a red flag for Pauline Robinson, too. She didn't win money. She won a car.

"Who is going to give you a BMW for $189? It didn't make any sense," Robinson said.

Robinson said the caller wants her to wire money at Western Union. Robinson worries the low price tag may lure someone in.

"$189 is not a lot actually so they might figure if I lose $189 it's not that much," Robinson said.

Wagner found the calls funny at first, but now finds them harassing. He said they’ve been coming in since May.

"I think the guy should be stopped or blocked in some way," Wagner explained.

Blocking phone calls

Every phone carrier offers you different options when it comes to blocking numbers.

AT&T said it’s as easy as calling customer service.

Verizon said you can only block local calls. If an international call becomes a problem, Verizon has a Nuisance Call Bureau. It works with law enforcement and the FTC. You’re also advised to file a police report. Verizon said it has put tracers on an individual’s phone line and worked with law enforcement and the long distance provider to shut down these international phone calls that won’t stop.

Depending on the area, Frontier Communications may also offers tracing and assistance from its Nuisance Call Bureau.  In Ohio, you can call 877-462-8188 to request help with this problem.

Some of Time Warner's products allow you to block incoming calls if the caller is anonymous, but these Jamaican calls have phone numbers. So, the calls still come through on Robinson's phone.

Travis Reynolds of Time Warner said the company is working on a feature that allows customers to block specific numbers. In the meantime, the company is looking into these specific cases to see if there is some other way the company can help.

Protecting Yourself

The best advice is to ignore the calls. If the person doesn’t talk to a human, they may stop calling.

Don’t return calls from people you don’t know. There are other area codes that look American, but they are international. The FCC says “649,” “809,” “284,” and “876” area codes are all involved in scams.

Another option is to ask your phone carrier to block outgoing international calls so you don’t mistakenly dial one of these codes thinking it's domestic.

You can also report these calls to the FTC at 1-877-382-4357.

If you've mistakenly returned one of these calls and can't get the charge removed, report it to the FCC: 1-888-CALL-FCC.

Time Warner also suggests customers call the Public Utilities Commission or PUCO at 1-800-686-PUCO.

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Report Your Consumer Problem
If you have a consumer issue, let Jenn know by email: strathman@newsnet5.com . You can also call the Consumer hotline at 216-431-3457. To stay up-to-date on the latest consumer trends, follow Jenn on Twitter: WEWSConsumer or Facebook: Jenn Strathman WEWS.