The California Autobody Association (CAA) warned its members in its most recent newsletter that potential phone scams involving IP Relay phone services are still going strong, and the calls can’t be blocked because of Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations.

The scam goes as follows: a call is placed to a body shop through IP Relay, a service offered by AT&T, Sprint, MCI and others that allows deaf people and people with speech impediments to connect via any Web-ready computer, PDA or phone. The “customer” claims to need a tow to the shop’s city from somewhere out of state but needs cash because the tow company won’t accept a credit card. The customer then asks the shop to charge an amount ranging from $2,500 to $3,500 to his or her credit card (presumably stolen), then wire the same amount of cash to him or her.

Dozens of shops from around the U.S. have told BodyShop Business they’ve received similar phone calls (click HERE to read our previous story, plus BSB readers’ scam stories).

The CAA noted that if a caller gives an abnormal description of vehicle damage or won’t give the exact location of the vehicle, the call is likely a scam. In addition, scammers might not give names and may sound like they’re reading from a script or make unusual requests.

The FCC says that some businesses have requested Telecommunication Relay Services (TRS) providers not make calls to their numbers, but, per regulations, TRS providers can’t refuse to make an outbound call requested by a TRS user in any circumstance. Section 225 of the Americans with Disabilities Act is intended to ensure that TRS “gives each person with hearing or speech disabilities functionally equivalent access to the telephone network.”  

For more information on FCC regulations, visit www.fcc.gov.