Old or New Trick? :O

[iogames]

I was browsing happily vB.org when I received a 'PRIVATE' call, and I picked the call, then an automatic voice told me:

'You've a collect call...'

after a pause the system said:

'However, your plan is not allowed to received collect calls, please enter a credit card...'

so I laugh and I hung up, but then I started thinking, it's an old trick or it's new? I can't retrieve the phone number from my online bill