New Type of Telephone Fraud Hits Alberta

September 6, 1995. Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

AGT Limited and ED TEL are alerting Alberta companies and organizations to a new type of long distance telephone fraud. "Since July, we've tracked more than 20 incidents that have cost Alberta businesses over $100,000," says Tim McCreight, manager, AGT preventative security.

The fraud is being carried out by criminals in eastern U.S. cities who pass themselves off as telephone company employees. "They use stolen calling cards or credit cards to call a company switchboard operator and ask for an outside line so they can 'test' the line," says Phil Brooks, manager, ED TEL corporate security. "If the switchboard operator puts them through, they simply dial '0' to call anywhere in the world.

"It's another wrinkle on the 'I'm a telephone man' scam," says Brooks, "but the victim companies wind up responsible for some overseas long distance bills and we've been receiving daily complaints for the past week."

McCreight says the best defence is to be sure of your caller. "Neither AGT nor ED TEL employees contact businesses or organizations and ask to be connected to an outside line," he explains. "If such a call is received, ask for the caller's name and employee ID number and the name of their supervisor - this usually deters the criminals."

Customers who want to report an incident of fraud, or need more information can contact: AGT Security, 403.493.3697 (Edmonton) or 403.530.8800 (Calgary); or ED TEL Security, 403.441.2441 (Edmonton).