Phone Scams The New Way To Do Your Money
Illawarra Mercury
Saturday February 11, 2006
SCAMMERS have found a fresh way to get your money, this time using your mobile phone.
Internet users are already all too familiar with their daily round of rip-offs from fake bank emails to jobs offers that are too good to be true.Now crooks have discovered a new con to make money - and the disturbing twist is that you may have no way to stop them.Mobile users will receive a friendly but general style of message from an unknown number, usually along the lines of "Are we still on for tomorrow?", "Remember me" or something similar.The messages are sent on a premium rate SMS service where some people pay 50? simply to receive the message, and a whopping $4.50 to reply.Former Shellharbour mayor Joan Vinton fell prey when she received half a dozen unsolicited texts saying that her subscription to an unknown service would be renewed unless she replied to the text.It was only when she received her bill for $28.73 - up from her standard $9.55 - that she realised she had been conned.Worse, she had deleted the messages immediately and not replied.Her provider, Optus, refunded the money when she complained and yesterday warned customers to check their bills."As with all Australian carriers, Optus has had some customers affected by content providers using unscrupulous marketing practices," a spokesperson said."Optus will investigate each reported case in order to determine if a content provider has breached industry guidelines."Australia's largest phone dealer, Fone Zone, also issued a warning about replying to unsolicited texts."People tend to be curious and will respond, either to find out who it is or to get more information," chief executive David McMahon said.More than 5.5 million text messages are sent each day in Australia.Tips to avoid scammers:? Examine text messages for unknown numbers.? Check the number - if it begins with "197", it's a premium rate service.? Premium calls should be itemised on your bill with the service provider name and ABN number.? Contact your phone company and say you have received an "unsolicited commercial SMS".? If you have no luck, call the Office of Fair Trading.
© 2006 Illawarra Mercury
