More on the Nigerian TTY scam

I took a trip down memory lane and reread my old posting on the Nigerian TTY scam. Then of course there was the news last year that you can use AIM to connect to relay services.

So, having read the horror stories on the relay-operator bulletin board, I decided to ask a few questions.

AIM IM with myiprelay

Welcome to IP Relay.
To place a relay call type CALL
To register your personal My IP Relay Number type VALIDATE
For customer service information please type HELP

Message from My IP-RELAY
Have a DLink Videophone? Make a VRS call to TV.IP-VRS.COM! For more information, visit http://www.IP-VRS.com.

help

Welcome to My IP Relay! Using this service you can place a relay call through an operator. For more information on this service contact customer service at ip-relay@mci.com, TTY 866-735-0193, Voice 866-735-0373 or visit our website at www.ip-relay.com. Please mention “Relay through AIM” when contacting customer service.

call

Welcome to My IP RELAY.. Please hold for the next available operator.

IP RELAY RO [redacted]F NBR CALLING PLS QQ GA

question about protocol first, please. ga

(opr here i can try to ans ur questions or would u like to be transferred to cust svc qq) ga

I’ll start with you. You may be unable to answer the following question, but here goes: Aren’t these AIM instant-message calls actually more likely to facilitate Nigerian and Ghanaian relay scams? GA

(opr here i will be transferring u to cust svc pls hd) Thank you for contacting MCI Relay customer service my name is my name is [redacted], how may i help u qq ga

OK, have I reached a supervisor? GA

this is the relay customer service dept i am not a supervisor but is f u wish I can connect u to a supervisor ga

No, not at the moment. The previous operator hurriedly transferred me to you. I have a question that you too may be unable to answer: Aren’t these AIM instant-message calls actually more likely to facilitate Nigerian and Ghanaian relay scams? GA

this relay service is provided for people who are deaf hard of hearing or speech disabled relay calls are regulated by the ffc and the operators have to honor the all the calls that come into the relay service we are aware that are our service is being abused by people who many not be deaf hard of hearing or speech disabled and the FCC has released a public notice regarding this issue and the FBI has an open investigation regarding this issue ga

I wonder if that was a macro on your keyboard or if you retyped your script from scratch. Either way, bravo. I do have another question regarding protocol. Does your system differentiate between “traditional” IP relay and the new instant-messaging calls? GA

i am not able to disclose that information it is confidential information can i please have ur first name and last name and phone number ga

For what purpose? GA

in office documentation ga

No, but if there were a customer-service telephone line I could call to specifically discuss the abuse of the relay service, I would consider calling it. GA

sure u can call me directly at the 800 number via voice i i would like to have ur name so that i can odcument document that u will be calling ga

What’s the number, please? GA

one moment i will be documenting that i spoke to u regarding this issue pls hold

OK. GA

ok thank you so much for holding the voice number for customer service is 1800 735 0373 and my name is [redacted] if u wish to ask for me u may also the conatct id number for this call is 29217997 so if u wish to call in just provide us with that contact id number and the file that i just created for u will be pulled up and all of ur concerns have been documented ga

All right. I appreciate the constraints you are working under and I wish you good luck with your next call. GA -SK

thank you so much and thank you for calling mci relay customer service have a wonderful day

SK

bye sk

Connection was lost or unable to get an operator at this time. Please try your call again.