Records show that a little-known Philadelphia company has quietly gained control over nearly a quarter of the 1-800 numbers in the United States and Canada.

And many, if not most, of those 1.7 million numbers appear to be used for one thing: redirecting callers to a phone-sex service.

As of March, PrimeTel Communications administered more 800 numbers than any other company, including Verizon and AT&T.

Dial 1-800-Chicago and, instead of reaching a tourism hotline for the Windy City, you will hear a woman offering "one-on-one talk with a nasty girl" for $2.99 per minute. A similar thing happens if you punch in the initial digits of 1-800-Camera, among other numbers.

That and other such numbers contain messages redirecting callers to erotic chat lines operated by National A-1 Advertising, a company that has common ownership with PrimeTel. -- AP

President and CEO of Nassau University Medical Center Thomas Stokes explains the problems caused by the aging infrastructure within the hospital. Newsday Associate Editor Joye Brown reports.  Credit: Newsday/Kendall Rodriguez

Inside look at NUMC's aging infrastructure President and CEO of Nassau University Medical Center Thomas Stokes explains the problems caused by the aging infrastructure within the hospital. Newsday Associate Editor Joye Brown reports.

President and CEO of Nassau University Medical Center Thomas Stokes explains the problems caused by the aging infrastructure within the hospital. Newsday Associate Editor Joye Brown reports.  Credit: Newsday/Kendall Rodriguez

Inside look at NUMC's aging infrastructure President and CEO of Nassau University Medical Center Thomas Stokes explains the problems caused by the aging infrastructure within the hospital. Newsday Associate Editor Joye Brown reports.

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