Scenario: Your business receives a call from someone who asks the receptionist to dial 90# to test a problem with the phone line or to be connected with an outside line.
Scam: If you have a PBX phone system, the caller can then dial a long-distance number. But the person doesn’t work for you or for the phone company, and has no authority to make long-distance calls at your expense.

	If your phone system enables you and your employees to call into the office from outside and then make a long-distance call without hanging up first, con artists can also use that system to make long-distance calls at your expense.
	In one common scam, a caller asks to speak to someone who is not there. Then the caller asks the receptionist to be connected to an outside line as a "favor."
	Another ploy scammers use is to pretend to be from the phone company. Claiming to be checking a problem with the line, the scammer instructs the receptionist to punch in a code on the keypad that results in the connection to an outside line.
	Ask the company from whom you bought your phone equipment if your system is vulnerable to this type of scam and what you need to know to protect yourself.
	Educate the employees who answer your phone about how your system works and how to spot PBX scams. Implement firm policies for who can be connected to outside lines and under what circumstances.
	The person who is responsible for paying your phone bills should check them carefully.
	Since it is unlikely that you will know the identity of the scammer, law enforcement agencies probably can't help you. However, you should notify your long-distance company about any phone charges that you suspect resulted from a PBX scam.
	While you are generally responsible for long-distance charges, your long-distance company may agree to make an adjustment, at least on a one-time basis.

If you need advice about a solicitation or you want to report a possible scam, call the NFIC hotline at 1-800-876-7060. You can also ask questions or report fraud using our online forms.

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