Email and Cell Phone Text Scam

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I don't text. My cell phone is 99% pocket watch and 1% communications device. Actually, I have the model phone I do because the watch part of it is big numbers.

So, when a got a solicitation text (like a phone soliciatation), with an option to unsubscribe, a little while ago, I took that as a big warning.

I called my provider, AT&T, and they put a text block on my number. Then she did some checking and, sure enough, someone tried to do a purchase/sale to me on April 10. It was blocked because my phone inadvertently has parental blocks on it.

I guess what she was saying is that people can sell you stuff (collect money from you) and it is added to your cell phone bill.

The same thing is going on by email now, and has been since about then.

I know how it got started, and it is my fault. I will share it if anyone cares, and wants to avoid the same thing.

It started as an innocent thing, like going to a timeshare presentation to get a freebie.

[Hostelling Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hostelling]

When I got my razor I told AT&T to turn off TXT MSG, as incomming txt can show up in billing.

[JWC Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close JWC]

I also had Verizon block text messaging and Internet access on my phone a couple years ago.

[longtimer Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close longtimer]

We have a family plan. My oldest daughter has a texting plan, but she doesn't use it much. I have texting turned blocked on the other 2 phones (my youngest DD once ran up $400 in texting charges!). It's stupid that we have to pay for incoming texts when there's no control over who sends them. We were getting alot of spam ads, so I put a block on the phones.

[akparsa Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close akparsa]

How did it start?

I want to make sure I avoid this.

I use texting a lot but I've never gotten a spam text and I don't want to start now.

Anita

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I want to make sure I avoid this.

I use texting a lot but I've never gotten a spam text and I don't want to start now.

Anita

I got a very real looking email from "Subway" saying I had been selected to receive $100 free Subway. Since I am in the Subway email club, I never thought twice until I had answered one question too many, at which point I said. "$#!+".

I tried to stop it but I got an avalanche of email solicitations and that advanced to the texting solicitations. I musta given "Subway" my cell phone number.

Not only are you charged for incoming texts, but I guess money can be collected from you by having it charge to your phone bill, if that is not blocked, too. Someone tried to do that about the same time the "survey" arrive.

It is similar to the old scam of leaving a message to have call a certain number, and the tolls on it are outrageous, billed to your phone bill, and going to a private "enterprise".