What businesses are at risk?

Not having a website is no protection against Relay fraud. Overseas criminals use online yellow pages as well as search engines to find victims.

Generally, they're looking for specific merchandise. What that is can change as soon as they find a market for a new item. That being said, see the sidebar for a list of some of the most frequently targeted merchandise.

But my sales staff couldn't be taken in...

Guess again. Relay fraud calls have a high success rate. Obvious clues that something is not right with the transaction are ignored. Clerks will run a dozen different credit card numbers or more — all declined — and ask if there's another card the person would like to use. Even when operators tell victims, “This is fraud,” they may not be believed.

How can I tell if it's fraud and not a deaf customer?

Sadly, until the FCC or Congress requires proof of need in order to use Relay (see Contact the FCC & Congress), any Internet Relay call should raise suspicion. It is illegal and unfair, however, for businesses simply to refuse to accept Relay calls.

For a description of typical Internet Relay scams, click here. For a list of ways you can prevent fraud, click here.

More ways to prevent fraud

Stop Relay Abuse is developing point of sale fraud prevention and employee training materials for large and small businesses. If you are interested in learning more or having customized training for your call center or store employees, please email us at:

To reduce spam, this email address is an image file. Click here to open a new message, then type the address in the “To” box.

How can I help?

Contact your Chamber of Commerce, industry association or service club and tell them what's going on with Internet Relay. Refer them to this website.

Use the FCC's online comment form and tell the FCC to save Relay for those who need it by requiring proof of need in order to use Internet Relay. If you have a dial-up Internet connection, you may be unable to link to the FCC's website. Click here for more options.

If you like, cut and paste from these sample comments:

Sample comments to FCC

As a business owner, I am outraged to learn how money I pay on my phone bill toward Internet Relay service for the deaf is being misspent.

It is incredible to me that the FCC has stood by for three years and allowed this valuable service to be hijacked by overseas criminals who use it to rip off U.S. businesses and individuals.

If anything, government should be spending money to help businesses fight fraud. Instead, I find out, it's spending money to help criminals commit fraud.

There is a simple, obvious solution to this mess: The FCC must require proof of need in order to use Internet Relay similar to what states require before issuing handicapped license plates.

Legitimate relay users would submit a letter from a licensed health care professional saying they need the service. After verification, they would then be issued a username and password to log on to the Internet Relay websites.

I urge the FCC, in the strongest possible terms, to initiate such a program immediately.