FRIENDS & FAMILY UNKNOWINGLY DUPE FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN CELL PHONE SCAM

I am covering this scam because it seems to occur on a regular basis, and results in you giving up your private information. It starts like, “Just a Reminder…12 days from today, all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls.” It proceeds to scare you by threatening that you will be charged for the calls, and finishes with a bogus solution. Call the number listed and your cell phone number will be blocked for five years. What really happens when you call the number is that the answering party tries to get as much personal data from you, along with your cell phone number. DO NOT MAKE THIS CALL! Even if you give them only your cell phone number, it is possible to match that with your private information through devious means. Read more. I received this recently from a friend who had no idea that it was the ID crooks calling, and that friend, plus a number of their friends, called the number giving their cell phone numbers. Cell phone numbers are not being released—at least not at this point, but who knows in this new information greedy society—if for no other reason because of the lunatics that would answer in their car when their attention should be on driving.