Cell Phone Q: What to do about wrong # text messages?

Gold Metal Flake

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Thu Jan-24-08 11:01 PM
Original message

Cell Phone Q: What to do about wrong # text messages?

I have a cell phone but I am a bit of a cell phone dumbass. I don't use text messaging, and neither does my wife, but we have both gotten text messages from people who we don't know. It might be a wrong number, it might be a come-on from some spammer, I dunno. There is nothing particularly unusual about the messages, except that we get charged for them. The provider, T-Mobile, just shrugs, although we did get a credit when we called to investigate what could be done.

so, is this a common problem? Can anything be done? Grin and bear it? It's not a frequent problem, just curious what other cell users have experienced/feel about this.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

momophile

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Thu Jan-24-08 11:18 PM
Response to Original message

1. we complained to the provider

about two text messages that were short and not very sweet - something like, "it's Keri, I really need some money" followed by "fine then bitch" - both from the same number. I looked the number up on whocalled.us (I think that's the site) but found nothing.

we then complained to the provider and they credited us. it wasn't a big problem, but it is annoying.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Gold Metal Flake

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Thu Jan-24-08 11:58 PM
Response to Reply #1

2. That's sort of the kind of messages I am referring to.

Not the same, but similar in that it looks at first like something that might need to be responded to, if only to helpfully tell the person "wrong number". later, when no response is given, an "associated" text comes through as if to legitimize the first one for those less gullible. It looks real, but still feels fake. Like a come-on from a spammer.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

CaliforniaPeggy

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Jan-25-08 12:09 AM
Response to Original message

3. My dear Opposite Reaction...

The LATimes had an article about this in the business section today...

I don't remember the details, though...sorry...

If you want, I could look for the article online...

:hi:

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Gold Metal Flake

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Jan-25-08 01:48 AM
Response to Reply #3

4. Good Evening, Ms. Peggy!

It's raining! I love it!

I drove home over Little Tujunga Canyon road just to see if I would run into any snow at the summit. No luck, but it was nice.

I think I found the article, but it's about unauthorized joke-by-text services:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-lazarus23jan23,1,828995.column?ctrack=1&cset=true

"And then came the punch line: Buried deep within his next Verizon Wireless bill was a $9.99 charge for something called Kepler Joke Text, plus a $1.35 fee from Verizon for having received the text messages.

Fitzgerald was one of many cellphone users who'd fallen victim to a scam making the rounds: shadowy outfits that obtain people's wireless numbers and sign up consumers for unwanted text-message services that come with recurring monthly fees.

snip

"It's an industrywide problem," said Kathleen Dunleavy, a spokeswoman for Sprint. "Customers need to get more educated about this issue."

What makes this type of scam so insidious is that you get nailed twice: first the service's recurring charge and then your wireless provider's fees for receiving text messages even though you didn't even want them."

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

CaliforniaPeggy

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Jan-25-08 02:20 AM
Response to Reply #4

5. Oh yes....That was the article I saw...

Sorry it didn't help any...

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

tjwmason

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Jan-25-08 05:01 AM
Response to Original message

6. You pay to receive texts?

I only have to pay if I'm outside the U.K. - here it's only the sender who pays. It seems odd that one should pay to receive them, it's like being forced to pay to receive the post each morning...without knowing who sent the letter to one.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

KatyMan

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Jan-25-08 07:56 AM
Response to Reply #6

7. That's the way it is in the US

You pay for incoming and outgoing calls and texts. I like our system better ;) Plus, the phones are better in the UK.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

AllegroRondo

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Jan-25-08 09:35 AM
Response to Original message

8. If you never use text, ask your company to block them

we did that for our daughters phone. now it can neither send nor recieve any texts.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

Gold Metal Flake

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Fri Jan-25-08 03:32 PM
Response to Reply #8

9. Simple solution. I'll try it!

:toast:

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

DU AdBot (1000+ posts)

Wed May 01st 2024, 01:56 AM
Response to Original message

Advertisements [?]

Top

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators

Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.