Please be aware of this, as I have had these calls from the switch board ? if you receive one hang up IMMEDITELY!

Phone Fraud ? Warning from the Police 11 May 2005 we have been advised of a telephone fraud currently in operation, this applies to home and work telephone, landlines and mobile phones. If you receive one of these calls, upon answering the telephone you will hear a recorded message congratulating you on winning and all expenses trips to an exotic location. You will then be asked to press 9 to hear further details. If you press 9 you will be connected to a premium rate line that cost approximately ?20 per minute. Even if you disconnect immediately, it will remain connected for a minimum of 5 minutes costing around ?100. The final part of the call involves you being asked to key in the postcode and house number, which has other serous consequences. After a further 2 minutes you will receive a message informing you that you are not one of the lucky winners. The total bill by then will be ?100. Since the calls are originated from outside the UK, BT and other telephone companies are left relatively powerless to act. The only save solution is to HANG UP before the message prompt you to dial 9. Even safer HANG UP on any unsolicited "free offers calls". There is another scam operating on mobile phones as well. A missed call comes up. The number is 0709 020 3840, the latest four number may vary, but certainly the first for will remain the same. If you call this number back you will be charged ?50 per minute.

People have complained about their phone bills, once they have realised the cost of the call, but apparently this is completely legal. So beware, do not call back numbers beginning with 0709.

Gianfranco Fracassi is the webmaster of two popular free stuff web sites. You can find many subjects that will interest you. Check out his web sites at: http://www.isjustfree.com or http://www.freestuff4net.com