Caller Beware

Some post are funny. I’ll write one in a day or two that is funny now. But, it wasn’t when I lost my cell phone at the airport.

Some post are informative. I’ll write one in awhile about going through security at O’Hara international airport three times in an hour. Trust me this is something you want to read about, rather than experience.

Then there is this post. It falls into the Public Service Announcement category. It uncovers one of the greatest scams of our time.

This picture shows two objects. One is my cell phone, which I lost and later found at O’Hara airport. That in itself is a miracle. The other is a phone card. That's the scam.

When I thought my cell phone was lost at O’Hara, I realized I had to make two phone calls. The first was to my daughter. She dropped me off at the airport at 4:30AM and like any nervous father, I had asked her to call me when she when got back to her apartment. I knew she had tried to call and probably got a little worried when I didn’t answer. The second call was to Cliff when I landed in Omaha.

I went into a gift shop at the airport and bought a 30-minute phone card, at a cost of $15. That’s fifty cents a minute. But, if you need to make two calls – you need to make two calls. Both calls could easily be completed in thirty minutes. So, after breaking into the package to get my card I followed the instructions on the back.

1. I dialed in my phone card number. (No problem)
2. I then entered the menu of instructions, “For English press One, for . . . (This is where I remarked in a rather loud voice, “Why the %^$& do I have to push one for English?” Of course, the automated voice on the other end had no answer.)
3. I was prompted to enter my pin number. (No problem)
4. Then there was a message telling me how I could donate a phone card to help the needy. (This is where I stated in a rather loud voice, “Right now I am the needy.” Again, the automated voice on the other end didn’t care.)
5. I was then asked to enter the phone number I wished to call. (I did)

Here is the phone conversation that took place:

DOR: Hello.
Ralph: Tiff, this is dad. I lost. . .
DOR: Dad, Kat at mod three has your phone. She answered when I called.
Ralph: Who’s Kat?
DOR: She works for United and is at mod three with your phone.
Ralph: Where is mod three?
DOR: I don’t know. Maybe you could call your phone and find out.
Ralph: Yeah. Did you get home okay?
DOR: Yeah, I just worried when a lady answered your phone.
Ralph: Talk to you later Tiff

Now, Tiff had a good idea. I had no idea where mod three was and calling my cell phone wasn’t a bad idea if Kat would answer. So, the phone card process started again.

1. I dialed in my phone card number. (No problem)
2. I then entered the menu of instructions, “For English press One, for . . . (This still really frustrated me but I pushed one.)
3. I was prompted to enter my pin number. (No problem)
4. Then there was a message telling me how I could donate a phone card to help the needy. (I didn’t say anything but still felt I was one of the needy.)
5. I was then asked to the enter the phone number I wished to call. (Which I did)

This is where the scam began. Another automated voice came on and in a rather stern voice informed me, “You do not have enough remaining minutes on your card to complete this call.”

I had made one phone call with my thirty-minute card! That is when I read the back of the card and noticed in four point font a statement which reads, “A surcharge of at least 13 minutes (subject to increase) applies to all pay phone calls.”

Now, that’s a crock! Where do they think most people will use the phone cards? Pay phones!

So, if you need to make one phone call a thirty-minute phone card at a cost of $15 should do it. Just remember to push one for English.