Mobile Phone Scams
Have you
ever received a text message congratulating you on a cash prize
win? Ever had a missed call and been tempted to phone back to
see who it was?
Over 2
billion texts saying people had won a cash prize were sent out
last year. To collect these “prizes” all you had to do was ring
a number. Calls were then charged at a premium rate, and there
was no cash prize at the end. If you get a text promising
something for nothing, you may be best
pressing “delete”. If you are concerned
about a premium rate (mega expensive) telephone line you can
complain to ICSTIS who
make sure that companies using premium rate lines act within the
law.
There are
other messages that people might use to try and get you to call
premium rate
numbers. These include “Ring this number
for an urgent message from your Mum and Dad” or “Someone you
know fancies you. To find out more please ring……..”. Again you
are best to just press delete.
Another mobile phone scam to
be aware of is when someone calls your mobile and lets it ring
for a short time. Before you answer they hang up, leaving a
"missed call"
message on your phone with their telephone
number. If you call this number back (it will probably be a
mobile number starting 07 or a premium rate phone line starting
0871) you will be charged for the call, at a high rate per
minute.
There are a number of these scams running.
Always check the number of a "Missed call" before dialing it.
If it is not a number you know, think
carefully before calling them back.
If you
are offered a free upgrade of your package over the phone, get
the company to confirm it in writing
before agreeing. This gives you time to shop
around and see if it is the best available deal. Also,
complaints have been received about companies not sticking to
promises that were made over the phone.
Remember,
its your phone. Be sure you only give the
number to those who need to contact you.
Never answer your home
phone or mobile by saying your name or the
number.
So remember...
· Think
– how can you have won a competition you haven’t entered?
· Delete
any unwanted messages from premium rate numbers without replying
· Think
carefully before replying to a “missed call”
· Get
any offer made over the phone in writing before agreeing.
|
