By dialing a 900 number, you can order products, get financial advice, talk to a willing stranger, vote in a poll, play a game and any number of other things.
What started out as a clever marketing ploy - let the customer pay for the sales pitch as well as the product - has burgeoned into major force in telemarketing.But 900 numbers have both pluses and problems.
Using a 900 number can be a good way to do business - if you know exactly what you are getting and how much you will be charged. But the Federal Trade Commission has received and is investigating numerous complaints from some consumers who have been charged excessively for services or have not received services advertised, or that some 900 numbers are nothing more than pornography.
It may be helpful to know what 900 numbers are and how they work - and how to avoid problems.
The 900 prefix is just like an area code, used to dial into a long-distance service. But unlike regular area codes, the fee is not based on the time of day or distance involved. It may be a flat fee or may be based on the number of minutes you talk or listen. The cost of the call is set by the company providing the information or service, not the telephone company. And rates vary widely - some calls cost as little as 50 cents, some may cost $10 or $20 or more.
Charges for 900 calls will appear as a regular part of your monthly telephone bill. Rather than listing a destination, it will give a description of service.
The most important bit of advice for anyone using a 900 number, says the National League of Consumers, is don't make the call unless you know how much it will cost. Compare the cost of similar services. As with any consumer buying decision, evaluate the cost of the service and the value of that service to you before placing a 900 call.
Last year, according to the National Association for Information Services (NAIS), a trade organization of companies in the 900 telephone industry, one out of 10 Americans used a 900 service regularly. The average call cost $2.70 and lasted a little over two-and-a-half minutes. Because of industry criticisms in recent years, a number of steps have been taken to reduce abuse and fraud.
The NAIS has developed a Code of Responsibility and Compliance Guidelines as standards for the pay-per-call industry. In addition, the three major interexchange carriers - AT&T, US Sprint and MCI - have their own standards regarding the type of 900 services for which they will bill and collect.
The federal courts have also upheld regulations developed by the Federal Communications Commission that limit access to "adult" services offered over 900 lines, and federal and state authorities are shutting down and prosecuting 900 program scams. For example, dating services and the so-called GAB lines, declined by 25 percent in 1991.
That's not to say there are not still problems. In addition to the adult-content lines, other common scams involve jobs and credit.
"Your exciting new career is just a phone call away . . . " says the ad. But if you call the number, you may just get general information on how to get a job, or you may be asked to send in more money for listings, or there may not even be any jobs available.
"Credit problems? No problem, give us a call . . . " is another come-on. But again there may be additional charges for more information or the credit may be available only for catalog merchandise.
Be wary of any such claims. Call these numbers only if you understand clearly what is involved. Many services offer a brief introductory message at the beginning of the program, with an accurate description of the subject matter and its cost. If you don't get this brief description, hang up.
Another common problem with 900 numbers is the easy access for children. Some 900 number services offer recorded information or allow a child to "interact" with the recording by leaving a message. This gets to be popular at this time of year with Santa Claus lines. Other services provide teen tips and news about favorite rock stars or cartoon characters.
Make sure your children understand, advises the National Consumers League, that when the advertisement says call 900, it means ask your father or mother first.
If you have a problem with a 900 number, your first hint will probably arrive with your monthly bill. If you want to dispute a 900 number charge, call your phone company first.
You can also get in touch with the responsible party by contacting the long distance carrier handling that particular line. The chart above lists 900 prefixes and the carriers to which they are assigned.
You may also want to investigate call blocking services which prevent unauthorized persons from calling the 900 lines on your phone. Check with your local telephone company for information.
*****
(Additional information)
Where to call about problems
1-900 numbers are handled by several long-distance carriers. These carriers can be identified by the NXX code. This code is the first three digits in the phone number following the 1-900.
1-900-000-0000
The long distance carrier can assist you in contacting 1-900 companies. You can reach them by calling:
AT&T 1-800-243-0900
MCI 1-800-888-0800
US SPRINT 1-800-366-0707
If the 900 number you called is not handled by one of the three major long distance carriers, call the number on your phone bill.
NXX CODE CARRIER NXX CODE CARRIER
200 AT&T 526 MCI
210 AT&T 535 US Sprint
220 AT&T 555 AT&T
225 AT&T 562 MCI
226 MCI 568 US Sprint
230 US Sprint 590 AT&T
246 US Sprint 600 AT&T
250 AT&T 622 MCI
255 MCI 642 US Sprint
260 AT&T 646 US Sprint
262 US Sprint 650 AT&T
263 MCI 656 MCI
268 AT&T 659 MCI
285 MCI 660 AT&T
287 MCI 674 MCI
288 AT&T 678 MCI
289 MCI 680 AT&T
300 AT&T 700 US Sprint
328 AT&T 720 AT&T
329 MCI 725 MCI
339 AT&T 726 MCI
342 AT&T 730 AT&T
344 AT&T 733 MCI
346 US Sprint 737 AT&T
350 AT&T 740 AT&T
370 AT&T 745 MCI
386 US Sprint 772 MCI
388 MCI 773 AT&T
389 MCI 776 MCI
400 AT&T 786 AT&T
407 AT&T 787 MCI
410 AT&T 800 US Sprint
420 AT&T 820 AT&T
435 MCI 825 MCI
436 AT&T 835 MCI
438 MCI 847 US Sprint
443 MCI 850 AT&T
446 MCI 860 AT&T
448 AT&T 868 MCI
454 AT&T 876 MCI
463 US Sprint 884 AT&T
468 US Sprint 896 AT&T
476 MCI 903 AT&T
480 AT&T 909 AT&T
484 MCI 929 US Sprint
486 MCI 932 AT&T
490 AT&T 933 AT&T
500 AT&T 950 MCI
520 AT&T 976 AT&T
993 MCI