Arizona Daily Sun from Flagstaff, Arizona • 5

ARIZONA DAILY SUN, Flagstaff, Arizona, Thursday, February 20, 1997-5 Scam reroutes Internet surfers By EUN-KYUNG KIM Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON Hundreds of Internet users trying to download erotic pictures over the last two month ended up with an unwanted bonus a lusty phone bill charging them with calls to a country in Eastern Europe. The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday announced the breakup of an Internet scam that racked up thousands of dollars to unknowing consumers seeking adult entertainment. Visitors to three sites on the World Wide Web were told they could access erotic photographs by downloading a free software program. CH. 2 From Page 1 northern Arizona viewers and requirements on local programming largely eliminated, the big Phoenix fish is free to swallow the little Flagstaff fish.

"Indications are at this point that (Gannett) is not going to operate KNAZ with as much local programming as Grand Canyon Television did," Hoskins said. Hoskins said its most profitable option would be to run a pareddown bureau in Flagstaff, with northern Arizona news interesting to Phoenix-area viewers. Then KPNX would send its signal up a translator near Flagstaff and beam the Phoenix channel into northern Arizona homes under the call letters KNAZ. Viewers up here would be seeing the same news programs as in the Valley. Hoskins said this approach allows KPNX to boost its ratings by picking up all of KNAZ's old viewers and it would be cheaper to run one television station, a translator and a small bureau than to run two stations and two transmitters.

That set-up would be similar to what KTVK Channel 3 does in Flagstaff, broadcasting into town CLASSIC CUT'S Pet Grooming $5 OFF any services ad 2224 E. Cedar 779-0914 Unknown to the customers, the program cut them off from local Internet providers and reconnected them to a number assigned to Moldova, a country that borders Romania. The calls, however, never made it to Moldova. Instead, they were routed to a site in Canada, but billed as if they had reached Moldova. Phone charges of up to $3 a minute continued to mount until the computer was turned off.

"It's a high-tech scam. The defendants in this case are using software to hijack the computer's modem," said Jodie Bernstein, director of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. She added that computer users and renting an office in the Hotel Monte Vista. Hoskins said such a scenario would be most cost-effective for Gannett, but bad for the rest of the community. Flagstaff could lose programming like the local news and the Habitat for Humanity telethon, and business could lose access to one vehicle for advertising.

"In free enterprise, buying out competitor is usually of no your concern to the consumer because ultimately who sells tires (for instance) has no effect on his life whatsoever." Hoskins said. "But the programming of news, advertising and public service do impact our lives. Therefore, the reduction in localism could have a societal impact." Gannett has already flexed its muscles in the Flagstaff market even before the sale is completed, said Larry Douglas, Flagstaff Cablevision's general manager. He said that when he tried last year to cut KPNX out of Flag Cable's local lineup and free up a channel for new programming, Gannett maneuvered to keep its channel in the lineup. Here's how the station managed to do Flagstaff Cablevision was receiving a lot of questions about why it wasn't carrying certain stations, Al 1 pliance New Used Appliance Sales CALL: 774-2000 didn't find out about the scam until their phone bills came "and then it was too late." customers who were victimized are expected to pay their bills, which reached several hundred dollars in most cases, said company security manager Richard Petillo.

"We're trying to make accommodations where we can, but the subscribers actually made the calls and it would be unfair to other subscribers to offer those people the option of not paying the charges," he said. Eileen Harrington, associate director of the FTC's marketing practices division, said a treaty governing international phone systems requires to pay the Moldova phone like ESPN-2, Bravo and WTBS. The cable company's reply was that it was at its channel capacity. Then people started asking why Flagstaff Cablevision carries two NBC stations KPNX out of Phoenix and KNAZ broadcast locally. After some deliberation, Douglas said he would pull KPNX, owned by Gannett.

At the same time Flagstaff Cablevision's parent company, PostGazette out of St. Joseph, was negotiating cable agreements for service in Kingman, Bullhead City, Lake Havasu City and Sedona. When Gannett found out that KPNX was to be taken off the air in Flagstaff, the giant media corporation threatened to stop KPNX's signal to the other cities. Douglas said that's when Flagstaff Cablevision was forced to back down. "When KPNX found out Flagstaff Cablevision was going to stop taking their feed, the used their power to get Flagstaff included in the other negotiations going on in other cities in Arizona," Douglas said.

Douglas said he has deals with both KNAZ and KPNX and that if they end up broadcasting the same signal, Flagstaff Cablevision would be forced to run both signals at FOOT DOCTOR DR. EDWARD L. WIEBE 774-4825 FOOT CARE SPECIALIST INJURIES DISEASES SPORTS MEDICINE SURGERY OF THE FOOT AND LEG 8 W. Columbus Ave. Flagstaff company for all calls billed to the country.

The treaty does not distinguish calls made under fraudulent circumstances. Bernstein said she has no evidence the government of Moldova was formally involved in the scheme. A temporary restraining order to shut down the operation was issued under seal last week by a federal judge in New York. It was made public Wednesday morning. The FTC lawsuit accused three people and two companies, Promo Line Inc.

and Audiotex Connection, of false and deceptive advertising, failing to disclose information about the computer program and misrepresenting long-distance phone billing. least for the rest of the year. That's why KPNX is still on the air and ESPN-2 remains on the test station, channel 51. So now the question is being asked around town: Why would one corporation operate two stations in the same market that compete against each other? Jeri Dustir, assistant to the city manager, has been delegated the task of writing a report to the Federal Communications Commission on the sale of Channel 2 to Gannett. Her concerns are that the advertising opportunities for local businesses remain intact at a comparable rate and that the new owners maintain a comparable level of coverage of local news and community issues.

City Manager David Wilcox said the city will not oppose the sale if the new owners of the station provide local news generated in Flagstaff. Ben Brown, the vice chairman of the Citizens Cable Task Force, said he has heard the rumors and that's about all. He said he just hopes the speculation doesn't come true. "I would very strongly defend the hometown product," Brown said. "I would say how many times do we have to lay down to get run over by Phoenix?" Artistic, HAIR DESICN Stylist Station For Rent Flagstaff's Finest Full Service Salon.

774-1845 Fort Valley Plaza 1000 N. Humphrys, Suite 219 From Page 1 right to take custody of a child if the child is born during the marriage, said Wendy B. Morgan, acting director for Coconino Legal Reservation Service. When one parent subsequently objects, Morgan said separation, domestic violence, child abuse and other factors can help a judge decide which parent should have custody. "Nothing is cut and dried.

Each (case) has its own individual facts," Morgan said. "It's up to a judge to determine if there has been wrongdoing." Adriane's case, the Coconino Legal Reservation Service is helping her set up an emergency court hearing that will determine which parent gets temporary custody when her husband and son resurface. Adriane said she thinks Vaughn will return to work because his job as a helicopter mechanic is "very important to him." Adriane is hoping dad and son will turn up immediately, but she might have to wait until Monday, the day Vaughn is scheduled to return to his job at Papillon Grand Canyon Heli- From copters. Until then, father and son may be staying with relatives in Show Low, Springerville, New Mexico or Texas. Adriane believes her husband and son may be hitchhiking.

Rick Carrick, director of operations for Papillon, said Vaughn asked for and received permission to take time off to deal with "personal problems." Carrick said he doesn't know where Vaughn is, but added he knows Vaughn was not at his Tusayan apartment on Wednesday. But Adriane said she's called Papillon every day since she arrived in Flagstaff. She said she's been told every time Vaughn isn't there but was expected to return to work the next day. Carrick said Adriane was mistakenly given that information. He said the secretary speaking to Adriane didn't know Vaughn is off until Monday.

Once Adriane finds her son and if a judge rules in her favor, she plans to take him back to Texas. Once there, she plans to divorce her husband and get legal custody of the toddler and their three other children. Until then, she plans to remain in Flagstaff, although she said her funds are running low. Donations and other support can be sent to her through Northland Family Health Center, 2501 N. Fourth Suite 18, Flagstaff, Ariz.

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