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
Posts Tagged ‘Text Messages’
Cell Phone Scams – What To Look Out For March 30th, 2010
Modern Cell Phones Are More Than Just Talk March 1st, 2010
The world has come a long way since Alexander Graham Bell’s first telephone, that’s for sure. From the hand crank to rotary dial to push button the phone has evolved and then evolved again. Even the first cell phones just a couple of decades ago resemble exhibits in a museum of ancient inventions compared to the sleek styles of today. Those early phones were used by the very wealthy or kept in a vehicle for emergencies only. Who would have imagined that cell phones would someday become such an essential part of life and used for so much more than just emergency phone calls?
In fact, phone calls are just a small part of what today’s cell phones are capable of. Text messages, email, Internet access, mp3 music playing, a built-in camera and even TV can all be accessed with your cell phone. Some cell phones today even have a complete QWERTY keyboard and can run many computer programs; in fact you can almost consider them a mini-laptop computer. Need directions? Just pick up your cell phone and navigation is at your fingertips. Want to know what movies are playing and the show times? A 411 operator will give you a quick rundown and you don’t even have to wait on the line listening to the whole recording (then missing the one you really wanted to hear because someone interrupts you at that exact moment and you have to listen to the whole thing again!)
In the case of an emergency cell phones save lives. Whether it is a traffic accident or you are being attacked on a dark street, your cell phone can reach emergency personnel and can be used to track your location. There was even a story of a missing woman who had gone off the road and was on the side of a cliff for days, her cell phone signal led to her safe recovery and without it she would never have been found; at least not alive. Even if your cell phone service is turned off, your cell phone will still be able to call 911 and get help for you. That is why you should never throw your old cell phones away; they can be donated at any police station and be given to victims of domestic violence to help give them protection.
It is hard to imagine life without cell phones now that they have become such an integral part of our lives. It is also difficult to imagine what new features cell phones in the future will have since they already do so much. Judging from the advancements made so far, however, you can be sure that the cell phone will continue to evolve and add value to the user’s life. Whether you want to watch the news, ask your spouse to bring home a loaf of bread on their way home from work or be protected in dangerous situations your cell phone is on the job.
Cell phones are obviously the future for technology growth. The only question is, what will be next?
By: Aaron Siegel
Cheap Cellular Phones December 26th, 2009
As the functions available in phones has improved over recent years it means that they are still expensive to some people who may only be looking for a cheap cellular phone; it is still possible to find models if you don’t mind looking around. Almost everyone uses a cellular phone now and there are almost no age barriers for their use; ownership of these devices is global and has changed the way we communicate.
Around the world, business can be carried out almost anywhere and at anytime with technology that would have been difficult to contemplate even ten years ago. Whilst many of them are still seen as toys with some of the functions they how have, there is no doubt that they are no longer viewed as just playthings. Whilst most phones can do a variety of things that could be considered non essential, it is still possible to obtain a no-frills cell phone.
How many people actually use all the wonderful facilities one of the new cell phones come equipped with especially when the vast majority would probably be just as happy with a cheap cellular phone. If you are going to buy a lower specification model, you should never expect it to perform tasks a high tech phone can. If you all you need is a phone that can make and receive calls then there isn’t much point in buying anything fancy with a range of functions you will never use. (more…)
