February 16, 2008
Text scams warning to youngsters
Thousands of young people have been sent fake scam text messages by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to warn them about con-artists. The BBC reports.
"The campaign saw 25,000 mobile phone users aged between 18 and 24 receive a message telling them they might have won £1,000 in cash.
But a second message arrived soon after informing them that the message was a fake and warning them about scams.
The OFT estimates that 6% of scam victims are aged between 16 and 24.
... The message also highlighted SMSus, a new text message service from PhonepayPlus, the body which regulates services bought by phone. This allows users to text details (to 76787) of a premium rate number or shortcode they are suspicious about.
An automatic reply lists the cost of the number, details of the service provider, how to contact them and how to complain if necessary. "
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