What is Text Message Scamming
What activity of notorious impression do you think has been troubling most cell phone users for quite sometime? Well, there are several of them coming in your mind, right? Well, it is text message scamming that is most common and most perturbing too as it sometimes adds up to your cell phone bill amount to a really tremendous level even causing a big dent in your pocket.
So, there appears an SMS on your mobile screen from some unknown number, you open the message to read what it has to say and find it saying that you have won a grand prize or which is waiting for you just a click away and the moment you click on the link, an unwanted site gets opened irritating you or a useless service gets started which adds up to your mobile bill.
According to a report presented by Los Angeles Times, the cases of text message scams are increasing at a real fast rate. It has also been found that cell phone users in US got about 4.5 billion spam texts in the year 2011 which are in deed double than what were received in the year 2009.
Notably, the Federal Communications Commission has found unwanted text messages and phone calls to be in the top three consumer complaints for the year 2011.
Consequences of these Scam Cases:
It results in heavy cell phone bills. And you may even start avoiding useful messages being fed up of useless text messages. This can even result in other security threats, especially when such messages are sent through the internet such as dreadful virus getting downloaded on your mobile harming it badly. As a result of filling the form asked by the message your confidential information may also get leaked.
How to Prevent Text Message Scammers from harming you?
You’ll generally find people suggesting you to send “STOP” to the number that send you the message. But it will be worst thing ever to do. Replying “STOP” instead of asking the marketers to stop sending you messages make them realize that your number is active and in use which make them send more such messages onto your number. So, this should actually be avoided.
The best possible way to prevent text message scammers from disturbing you is to get your number listed in the Do Not Call list of the FTC (the Federal Trade Commission). This will make it illegal for the telemarketers to call or text you.
And if you have your cell phone contract with AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, simply report the spam text to your carrier, this will stop the scam text messages from reaching your mobile.
