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Cell Phone Scams – What To Look Out For

admin — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 22:04:42 +0000

Wireless phones have made life easier in so many ways. “Waiting by the phone” no longer means sitting at home, now the phone goes where you go. You can virtually stay in touch with anyone, anywhere. Besides the traditional use of phoning another party you now have many other capabilities such as the ability to text message, browse the web and download options and information directly to your phone. However, with this comes the potential for scams. They are not only an inconvenience but can be a costly experience to boot.

Ads for free ring tones, jokes or music downloads are prevalent but we wary as what sounds too good to be true usually is just that. Always read the fine print in accepting such offers. Many of these offers are presented in a manner most appealing to children and teens. And taken at face value are attractive and seemingly harmless but can come with terms and conditions that may result in pricey and often recurring fees. In some instances these offerings come in as text messages and your reply via text to an apparently free offer or one time offer will be anything but.

Watch out for spammers on your cell. They have figured out how to enter the world of text messaging. If you thought spam was bad enough with e-mail, junk mail and telemarketing, now this kicks it up a notch as recipients of text messages are most often paying for this service.

One common spam scam is the “Pump and Dump”. Thousands of cell phone users have been hit with spam text messages hawking stock (often penny stock). They promote the stock to pump up the price and then dump it as soon as the victims have helped to boost the price and quickly sell before the stock inevitably plummets. People are making millions of dollars with this type of scam.

Wireless devices are now a target for identity thieves. We know find ourselves using cell phones for more than casual conversation, for example, many people conduct online banking by means of their wireless device. With this convenience we expose ourselves to the danger of having personal information stolen by hackers. Because wireless technology now allows people to use their phones in many of the ways they can a PC, a scammer can hack into phones and get personal information just like they can a personal computer. They can even hack into a cell phone by just walking by, allowing them to listen in on calls or steal personal information without anyone’s knowledge. This is accomplished by exploiting short-range Bluetooth wireless connections (WI-FI) between cell phone and hands-free headsets for PCs.

What does all of this mean to the millions of cell phone users out there? Be proactive in trying to protect your personal information, check you bill monthly. Think twice before “saving” passwords and IDs in your cell phone, which in turn means having to enter your info each time you make a transaction or want to enter a site.

Protect your cell phone like you would your wallet or purse, be aware of your surroundings when making calls and give it careful consideration before lending your cell phone to anyone. If you are a victim of a scam contact your wireless provider immediately. The amount of assistance may vary. Contacting your carrier is one way of motivating them to stay on top of the situation.

By: Matt Hick

Free Cell Phone Number Search

admin — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 18:17:32 +0000

Cell phone numbers are generally not listed in telephone directories for reasons of maintaining confidentiality. In fact the very reason people go in for cell phones is because it offers them privacy. With a cell phone you can virtually choose people whose calls you would like to receive. No longer need you worry about being hassled by unwanted telemarketing agents, constantly pestering you to buy the most mundane things at all the wrong times. Such intrusion of privacy is not possible with a cell phone, to a large extent. Note the word ‘large extent’. No longer are cell phone number searches impossible. Thanks to the increasing presence of online resources which offer cell phone number search.

Most of these online search agencies can track cell phone numbers, using ‘reverse lookups’. You can now find out the name of the person using a particular cell phone number, his/her address, other related addresses of an individual and possible other names attached to these addresses. So the next time you want to find out a cell phone number, you need not despair. Just surf the net and you will be able to successfully find the all-elusive number. Log on and find out. Although most of these online search agencies charge a fee for these search options, you will be surprised to know that the number of online agencies offering this service free of cost is increasing by the day. Go to these free cell phone number search web sites and key in the relevant requested information. The number you had been searching for is listed in front of you in a matter of seconds. It doesn’t stop only with the number; you also get to find out the address. It is just like using your good old yellow pages or any other telephone directory.

By: Damian Sofsian

Why Cell Phones Are Important

admin — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 06:05:10 +0000

Cell phones are now considered to be a necessity for most people. This is because cell phones provide us with the ability to communicate with our family, colleagues, etc. not only through calls and SMS but even through sending e-mails as our mobile phones are now just like a mini computer that can be connected to the Internet if configured. Cell phones are even used as a camera, a video recorder and even as a radio and mp3 player all in one. What more can you ask for?

Cell phones are a great tool for us to connect with other people, thereby providing us with a kind of security knowing that we can “watch over” people or can be “watched over” by the people close to our hearts. In emergency situations, our mobile phones are the ways wherein people can reach us and in the same way through those phones we can reach the necessary people or establishment too. In the event that an old friend is looking for you, there are now websites with a cell phone directory for people to use to find an old flame, a lost relative etc.

If in the past, cell phone reception was not that reliable, that has changed now. In fact due to the advanced technology of today, high quality reception is enjoyed by cell phone users. Wireless technology also brings everything you will ever need in cell phones such as Internet access, GPS technology, etc. Mobile phone service providers have become really dependable that it is hard to live without their services. Due to the increase in the production of different models of cell phones, prices of these gadgets have also dropped making them more affordable than ever. With cell phones, you are not only able to make important calls but may be able to check your office email, use your phone for reminders or calendars, use it for data transfers from your phone to your laptop, and a lot more.

Cell phone manufacturers now have ongoing competition as to who would be able to provide the best phone in terms of lightness, being user friendly, having the most features, etc. There are cell phones that are not costly but would have nice features, and then there are the really expensive cell phones that would have everything you could wish for. It is up to you on whether you would choose a phone that is basic giving you only the necessary features you need or a phone that is technologically advanced that gives you needed features and also extras that are great to have. Wireless cell phone service providers on the other hand need to come up with a cell phone directory that would work just like a phone directory to be able to trace the cell phone numbers of people you are looking for. Take note though that there are some websites that have their own cell phone directory that is a paid service. This would of course come with pros and cons.

By: Steve Herzog

Verizon Reverse Cell Phone Directory That Works

admin — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 01:15:52 +0000

If your in need of a Verizon cell phone directory because you may be experiencing strange calls or getting a lot of hang ups, new services are now available. These days if you have a cell phone like most of us do you often get these annoying calls and hang ups. In some cases you may even be getting harassed, luckily you can now have options to stop the calls. The reverse cell phone option can also be helpful if you suspect your significant other is making secret calls, either because of adultery or another hidden agenda.

Being able to find a cell phone number can be very simple, many sites offer the reverse number option. All you have to do is type in the number and the search does the rest for you. Some of these sites may cost a membership fee but often the fee is a on time only deal and you can look up as many numbers as you desire.

The available Verizon cell phone directory can help you find that certain number and even a name and location. Using services like this can save you from having to hire a detective that ultimately can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. There are many cell phone directories out there, if you know the unwanted caller is using a Verizon cell phone chances are by using the easy to find directories you will have little or no effort to find the person your are trying to locate. If you are unsure what cell phone service the caller is using finding the number may take a little more effort.

If you find you have to spend a little bit of cash to find that annoying caller it really can be worth it. To find a Verizon cell phone directory is about the same as any other provider. It really does not matter who the provider is, you can see a surefire way to find any Cell phone number including Verizon in my bio box below.

By: John J Thompson

How Can I Find Someone’s Cell Phone Number?

admin — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 00:47:27 +0000

It is impossible to find someone’s cell phone number using traditional traditional methods of finding phone numbers. This is because cell phone numbers are protected by strict privacy laws. Because of these laws, cell phone numbers are not released to the public. Just up until recent new changes in privacy laws, cell phone number directories have been restricted to officers of the law and other licensed investigators.

Not too long ago, if you wanted to find a person’s cell phone number, you would have to hire a private investigator. These private investigators would charge up to $200 just to lookup one person’s cell phone number. This price seems quite ridiculous, but it’s true that thousands of people have paid this much to find someone’s cell phone number.

The great news is, because of these new changes in privacy laws, once restricted cell phone directories now allow you access to find someone’s cell phone number. However you need to know that cell phone numbers are still protect in some way and cellular phone number not released publicly. Therefor you must pay a fee for cell phone directory access. This fee is small and is definitely worth the price if the information is important to you.

In actuality, there are only a few cell phone directories where you can find someone’s cell phone number by name. The National Cellphone Number Registry is perhaps the most popular cell phone directory and is also the same cell phone directory used by law enforcement and private investigators.

Visit: www.cellphoneregistry.org for more information.

By: Gary P. Thompson

Danger! Cell Phones and Young Children

admin — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 22:12:15 +0000

What possible good can come from a nine to thirteen year old adolescent having a cell phone? With so many child predators out there these days giving your child a cell phone is giving these people another means of contacting and preying on innocent children. Or is it?

Could a cell phone in a child’s hand help to prevent a would be attacker from taking advantage of a situation? Think about it. If your child had a cell phone they would be able to call you or the police with the push of just one button. If it became the norm for children at this vulnerable age to carry cell phones, then child predators would think twice before going after any of them. They wouldn’t know who does or does not have a cell phone at the ready in case of an emergency.

But that wouldn’t stop them from getting the child’s cell phone number and calling to him or her. Just like children in chat rooms, they would become victims without ever getting suspicious until it’s too late. Since anyone can use caller ID blocking there is no way of knowing who is calling your kid when you aren’t with them. Or is there a way to control all of this?

What if there was a cell phone that your child could use to call mom, dad, or the police very quickly. What if you could control who your child could call with their cell phone and who was able to call them? If you could program a cell phone to only dial numbers that you approved first and only accepted incoming calls from numbers that you programmed into it, would you consider having your child carry this phone?

Think about it. Because of some fiasco at work you realized that you were going to be a little late picking up your son or daughter from practice, it would be a load off your child’s mind to know that you are on your way. If they ended up getting detention at school and would be late getting out, wouldn’t it be nice to know before you had to wait 30 minutes outside of the school worrying your head off about where he or she is?

There is a phone that is designed for exactly this purpose. It is the FireFly(TM). It has just six buttons. One for Mom, one for Dad, one for emergency services (with accidental call prevention), two to scroll up and down pre-programmed numbers, and a call start/end button. Since this phone does not have games or text messaging you don’t have to worry about all those extra charges getting added to your phone bill. Simply program the numbers for mom and dad into the phone, and any numbers that you approve of into the calling/receiving list, and tell them to have it with them at all times.

The FireFly(TM) is becoming available for most carriers. Compare rates from different carriers to see which ones are available in your area and find the best deal. Invest in some peace of mind for yourself and a learning experience for your child.

By: Steven Minor

Cell Phone Lovers Highlight These Mobile Phone Benefits

admin — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 19:08:01 +0000

Cell phones have truly changed the way that life is lived in today’s world, sometimes in very subtle ways. For instance, as little as ten years ago, it was remarkably uncommon to be asked to turn off your cell phones before a movie, play, concert, or even while shopping. Now, these sorts of requests are commonly part of the introductory spiel that accompanies many events or may be even posted literally. This is just one example of the dozens of different ways that cell phones have found their way into daily life, which may explain why reverse phone lookups are now more popular than ever.

Reverse phone lookups are websites specifically built around making it easy to learn more about the owners of phone numbers in today’s highly technical world. In the past, white pages were the dominant phone research tools in use. However, white pages have a few flaws that make them ill equipped to deal with today’s phone users’ needs. White pages don’t contain listings for cell phones, which means, in a lot of ways, the white pages are obsolete. However, reverse phone lookups are just getting started where the white pages stop.

Reverse phone lookup websites can provide access to information about millions of different phone numbers. Unlike the white pages, searching a reverse phone lookup is fast and easy. Plus, with a reverse phone lookup, you can find almost any phone number, including cell phones. Because you’re searching over the Internet, you know that you’ll be able to get results in a timely manner, often less than a few minutes. All you need is the phone number, and you’ll be able to get the name and the address of that phone’s owner with little or no waiting time.

That’s why so many people choose to run a phone number search. It is a great way to find out more about strange calls, thus doing the job of the white pages, in a modern context.

By: Martin Verite

Stolen Cell Phones – What You Can Do About Them

admin — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:26:26 +0000

Cell phone theft is a booming business. There are numerous reasons cell phones are popular with thieves. They are small and easy to take, they can bring in $50-$60, are easier to sell than most items, or can be used by the thief almost indefinitely. Efforts by manufacturers to make tracking stolen phones easier should have a positive effect in the future but for now consumers need to beware.

First, consumers need to know that when their phone is stolen they are generally responsible for all charges incurred prior to reporting the phone lost or stolen. Secondly, it is important to realize that unlike a credit card, most cellular contracts have no liability limitations. Simply put, this means that the individual’s responsibility is not limited. So what is a victim of cell phone theft do?

- To avoid paying for hundreds of dollars of calls they did not make, the victim needs to report their stolen phone to the police immediately. At a minimum they will need to know the name of their cellular provider, the make and model of their phone, and the Electronic Serial Number of the phone to make a complete police report.

- At that point the individual will receive a case number which they will then need to report to their cellular service provider. The cellular provider can then blacklist the phone and the individual can not be held responsible for calls made after that point. It is important that records be kept regarding names, dates/times of any communications in case there is any dispute in the future.

- It is also wise to check the cellular contract as well. The agreement often outlines exactly what steps should be taken in case of theft or loss.

- Although the consumer is responsible for all calls prior to reporting the loss, in some instances, fraudulent calls are covered by the individual’s credit card company if the phone/service was set up/paid for using their credit card. Therefore, in such instances, a call to the credit card company is recommended.

- In some instance, fraudulent accounts are created using the information obtained through the stolen cell phone. Additional assistance in dealing with fraudulent accounts can be obtained from the FCC (www.fcc.gov)

Another important thing for users to realize is that the information on the cell phone is now potentially accessible to the thief. In this great “information age”, it is easy to obtain all kinds of information on individuals based on bits of information stored in a cell phone. What precautions can cell phone users take to protect their information?

- It is best to use security features on your phone to encrypt data and to prevent others from accessing it.

- Although it is possible to overwrite them, another important step in thwarting thieves is to set up passwords to restrict access. It is particularly important to use a password to gain access/use of the keypad.

- Another, more drastic option is to avoid storing personal information on your cell phone at all. Certainly, most cell phone users prize being able to store addresses and phone numbers, but at a minimum they should carefully consider what information is most sensitive and could create the most havoc if strangers were to gain access to it, and avoid storing such information.

The bottom line is owners need to fully understand the potential damage caused by a loss. With thousands of cell phone thefts each week, owners need to protect personal information at all times and report loss immediately.

By: Christine Peppler

Personal Tracking Devices in Cell Phones?

admin — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 03:01:15 +0000

Cell phones have come a long way – regardless of whether you’re a business person or stay-at-home mom, having a phone with you is no longer a privilege – it’s a NECESSITY. In this modern technology age, the phone has progressed from being just your average communication device. The cell phone is now also a personal organizer, diary, calculator, timer, alarm clock, emailing device, faxing equipment, news reporter, etc.

In times of emergency, a cell phone can and will definitely prove to be a life-saver and 14-year-old Kelly Emerson can attest to that. Getting lost in a jungle is no fun for the teen. But thanks to her careful and wary mom, Kelly took a cell phone with her and when she got lost in the jungle, the cell phone she had with her saved her life. Within 3 hours, they found her hanging to her cell phone and praying. Wet, crying, hungry – but safe!

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently suggested that communication companies work harder to incorporate a location pinpointing device and technology on cell phones so that call receivers can check the location of the caller in times of emergency. For people like Kelly Emerson, the cellphone saved her life – but with an advancement of technology, the caller or owner of the cell phone may not even need to be awake or conscious in order for others to detect their location. Well, there are pros and cons to that kind of technology, and currently, this recommendation has come under fire and is under a lot of debate today. People are not keen on turning their cell phones into personal tracking devices because of very obvious reasons – it’s a form of intrusion into their personal lives. And instead of saving lives, cell phones with this ability may even become a threat. Let’s say, a murderous husband is trying to track down a runaway wife and is able to detect her location via her cellphone.

While individuals are quite confused about this new phone technology, large corporations are more than happy to welcome this new cell phone technological advancement. Imagine…with this personal tracking device installed into their customers’ cell phones, companies can locate the customers via their cell phones. If the customer is within the vicinity of their outlet, they can instantly send messages or make calls to that customer!

However, telecommunication companies are stumped on whether this new phone feature should be incorporated into future cell phones. Like the Internet, privacy is a huge problem. Personal information is big in the data-mining business, but so is privacy.

We’ll just have to see how far phone companies are willing to go to make their bucks!

By: Dakota Caudilla

Reverse Phone Searches – Land Lines Vs Cell Phones

admin — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 23:25:53 +0000

Reverse phone lookup websites exist on the Internet for those of us wishing to find both land-line and cellular carrier numbers. All that you need to perform this search is the 10 digit phone number you want information on. In the event that a phone number is the only information you have, this type of search is beneficial in that it is still very revealing. Type your number into the search form on the directory website and click search.

You will discover that depending on the type of phone number you entered, the results you receive will vary significantly.

Land Line Phones

If your desired number belongs to a land line phone, detailed name and address information is presented, assuming it is not designated as an ‘unlisted number’ by its owner.

Cellular Phones

If the phone is a cellular service, however, you will only find the city, state, and carrier of origin for the number, at most.

Why is so much more information available about landlines from these free directories? Land line numbers are considered public information, and thus names and addresses are readily available unless their owners opt out. It is therefore totally legal for phone companies to organize this information and present it to you in any searchable form.

However, mobile phone numbers are protected by strict privacy laws at the state and federal level which regulate how your personal information can be used. This is done for a variety of reasons, not the list of which is to prevent telemarketers from using the limited number of minutes available from your service plan. Because of this, no official free wireless directory exists at this time.

How to Find any Number – Regardless of Type

What we do have access to, however, are public records. This is information compiled by a wide range of companies and government entities which is mostly available to the general public. These records are made easily available to us by way of a special reverse phone directory – which congregates them into an accurate and regularly updated database using computer technology. You can therefore search 98% of all numbers, both cellular, listed and unlisted land-line, VOIP, wifi, and others.

Because of the work these directories must perform to acquire and maintain their information, a small fee is assessed as either a one time charge or unlimited yearly service. (The latter of which is most valuable when you find yourself looking up multiple numbers on caller ID.) So now instead of spending hours searching for information from the wide open web which isn’t available, you can have it in seconds.

By: George Wischler