New type of scam

[Texatdurango]

Looks like a new type of scam is out now. My cell phone just made a jingle sound so I looked and saw a message saying "Your entry last month has won! Goto (a website I won't type because it's probably a phishing site) then enter your winning code to claim your $1000 bestbuy card.

Funny thing, I didn't enter any contest!

It's such a shame that the electronic age has created so many sleezy people! OR..... have we always had this many sleezy and people and just didn't know it!

The worst thing is that I think this is a message and I don't have a messaging plan with my phone so I think I just paid something extra to open my phone to display it!

 

[mredburn]

We have always had that many sleazy people, they now have greater access to us via the INTERNET. I get calls for winning vacations, lottery, prizes etc that are free except for the shipping, club fees, claiming fee etc. All they have to do is find a few people that have let their guard down or haven't heard about the latest scam etc. to make money.

 

[firewhatfire]

at least yours was bestbuy, I only win at Walmart

 

[Monty]

....The worst thing is that I think this is a message and I don't have a messaging plan with my phone so I think I just paid something extra to open my phone to display it!

You can contact your phone company and have messages turned off.

 

[PenMan1]

I FULLY expect "that bunch" in Washington DC to do something about spamming and hacking, NOW that THEY have allowed THEIR personal information and THEiR pension account numbers to get compromised.

 

[GoatRider]

Forward junk text messages to "7726" (SPAM). All cell phone services have that set up to help track down stuff like this. If it's a short code (less than 10 digits), they are required to respond to a "STOP" response. I still forward those to 7726.

http://www.tatango.com/blog/report-text-message-spam-to-7726/

http://www.wireless.att.com/support...20912515172.Anti-spam FAQ 080707 Consumer.pdf

 

[CREID]

I woke up to 2 emails that said I had won something from starbucks and $1000 dollars from walmart.
Curt

 

[tbroye]

I have won so many British Lottery's, and contests that the Queen is now one of my renters. I also own the Nigerian division of Microsoft, GM and Ford.

 

[Andrew_K99]

My wife just got that text around 2PM today, a friend got it a few weeks ago.

I wonder why bestbuy hasn't tried stopping them.

AK

 

[Curly]

I made a "SPAM" contact in my cell phones address book. Every time I get one of those calls or texts I add it to the list. Next time they call or text it shows the ID as SPAM and I don't need to bother answering.

 

[IPD_Mr]

at least yours was bestbuy, I only win at Walmart

You and I are on the same cheap list. :tongue:

 

[Smitty37]

We have always had that many sleazy people, they now have greater access to us via the INTERNET. I get calls for winning vacations, lottery, prizes etc that are free except for the shipping, club fees, claiming fee etc. All they have to do is find a few people that have let their guard down or haven't heard about the latest scam etc. to make money.

Actually opportunity will create more....if stealing is made easy there will be more theives.

 

[edicehouse]

I got the Microsoft related (Indian) call, about 30 minutes after I warned my grandmother about it. Well I started saying BS BS BS (well extended version). Then I told him he was lying. I asked him did he want to know how I knew.... Yes..... I don't have a computer at home....... Well needless to say I had to ask him if he was still there. He replied listening to you..... Then I asked how do I have these problems when I don't have a computer at home.... He didn't have an answer.

 

[Smitty37]

Well the world right now probably has more spammers than victims. So many people have received the common ones that I wonder if there is anyone left who has not.

It is to be expected, given what they can do legally on the internet. How many popups do you see offering something 100% free only to check the ad and find out it is only free if you sign up for something that isn't. Or, you get that "1 month free" only if you pay for 12 more. The list goes on and all that is perfectly legal. So why wouldn't we expect some to try to take a shortcut to fleecing us.

How often do we contact "customer support" only to have them try (before even hearing our problem) to sell us something else.

I just changed my phone service....I had phone/computer and TV all with comcast and called and said I wanted to drop the phone service. The first person I talked to said ok and told me what would happen to my bill. I called again a couple of days later and the person I talked to told me my bill would actually go up because I had a promotional rate....When I finally made the switch the bill went down $60.00 because when the person I got connected to first said she couldn't do what I wanted, I had learned enough to say "Get me somebody who can." Two people later the guy finally said "Sure, we can do that, I'll take care of it right now." If I had not pushed it, Comcast - a big legitimate business would be happily charging me a lot more than I am paying. All perfectly legal. We allow the legitimate service providers to fleece us so why wouldn't the "shady"
folks want to get in on the act.