Saving Yourself from Cell Phone Scammers

According to the August 2008 issue of Consumer Reports, there are three ways for consumers to save themselves from the threat of cell phone scams, which seem to get more and more common as mobile phones themselves become more popular. It is no longer enough that we have email inboxes filled with spam; nowadays, we have to worry about what is going to show up on our cell phones as well. This is a particularly unsavory thought because, unlike with email, most of us have to pay for unwanted text messages and voicemail messages.

First of all, it is import to take the appropriate actions as soon as possible. If you receive a spam message via text or message, immediately call your cell phone provider and lodge a complaint. The quicker you make the problem known, the quicker it can be fixed. Also, keep a close eye on your account, especially over the Internet; you may be able to set your email and text settings to a higher level of privacy and protection. In fact, with a lot of cell phone carriers, you are able to block the messages you do not want, or at least those which look like unsolicited messages.

Secondly, take advantage of the Do Not Call Registry. Cell phones can be registered at www.donotcall.gov; it is not just for land lines. It may take up to a month after you have submitted your cell phone number, but eventually you will stop getting spam messages.

Lastly, be careful of downloading anything, just as you would be on your computer. Viruses are a common worry in downloads sent to us from people we do not know, and they can be just as bad for our phones as they are for our computers. Common phone downloads include ring tons and games; downloading one of these from an unknown source may cause you to get more spam messages, and that is the best case scenario. At worst, you might be leaving yourself open to identity theft, which is clearly even worse.

(July 10, 2008)