Phonebusters is trying to get the word out that a phone call that tells people they've won a holiday, but they need to press nine to collect, is a legitimate offer.

Rumours have been spreading that the automated phone calls allow scam artists access to your long distance telephone lines, but in fact, says Phonebusters, pressing nine will simply link you to a sales representative.

"It's a legitimate pitch, but it's a sales tactic," said John Shultz of Phonebusters. "When I call you up and say you have won a vacation, you're automatically thinking it's free…

"You're going to get a vacation package, it just may not be the package you think you're going to get."

The calls are from a legitimate Canadian company on a marketing campaign to sell timeshares.

Phonebusters has received so many calls from people worried that their phone lines have been stolen they've taken the unusual step of putting a message on their answering machine informing people the calls are not a scam.

Schultz says the phone calls are not criminal, but he does suggest people apply the same good sense they would to any sales pitch: let the buyer beware.

Phonebusters is a national anti-fraud call centre jointly operated by the Ontario Provincial Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.